Weekly Mourner

Weekly Mourner 4 By screm, July 2020 How To Look At Art, Volume 2 “Untitled”, acrylic on panel, 48 x 48”, 2018 NASA photos of the scarred surface of a strange and distant planet. A primordial broth simmering in the cracks of an earth from a long dead age. A captivating glimpse at the slide of unknown microscope. Wounds accumulated on some mysterious and unknown body. Tapestries documenting visceral damage and layers of time oriented healing rather than lineage. The haunting contemporary ghost of a body of impressionist paintings. (Alright, so I low key sci-fi geek out over Victoria’s work... so what?!) How about... Peace amidst deep and real distress. A spiritual and psychological metaphor for healing from trauma? These paintings absolutely speak to me on a metaphysical level, a spiritual level. These are a few of the things I see and think of when I look at the artwork of Victoria Rose Phillips. And I have to say that I am a fan.  Victoria and I met at the Savannah College of Art and

Weekly Mourner 3, part 2  by  screm, July 2020 “GRILLO”.  Grillo.” 1984.  Acrylic, oil, xerox collage, oilstick, and nails on wood, four panels. 244 x 537.2 x  45.7 cm.   As the mist settled over the small village, in the lateness of the hot time of the year, Bibuwa knew in his pure heart that something had changed in the air. A foul coldness seemed to settle over everything, and a vibration too, like the lightning in the sky just before it struck. Something had been loosed in the sweltering jungle of the Congo and all these sensations were to Bibuwa a sign of the presence of that something. What had begun for Bibuwa as an earnest trade of a few goats for the supplies to furnish a better dwelling for his family, seemed now to take a turn toward the terror of a bad dream.        Kabunji had only reluctantly sealed the agreement for the supplies with Bibuwa, and Bibuwa had to admit to himself that he knew in his heart that Kabunji did not fear the Nkondi. When two men drove a nail into

Weekly Mourner 3, (Part 1 of a three part series) By screm, July 2020 Why should we look at art? Have you ever asked yourself that? As an artist I’ve had many people ask me that. I think this is a fair question when a person who is not an artist or art enthusiast is confronted with the art of the 20th century and on. Modern, post-modern, contemporary art, can be like a cultural thumb in the eye to these folks. It often can even feel antagonistic. Still, the question remains whether that is true or false or often true or not really so much... Why should we look at art? My answer: It will teach you how to see better.  If you take the time to really think about art when you look at it, I think it will inevitably teach you how to see better. That’s a simple answer but a sincere one and, I think, a true one. This American artist, Jean-Michel Basquiat, can teach you how to see better. So I’m going to do something that I think might help my readers to move a little beyond an immediate reactio

Thoughts on Facemasks, Seinfeld, Really Despicable Political Games and the Ever Elusive Chimera Called “Common Sense” in 2020 Weekly Mourner 2. By screm DISCLAIMER: This article is not intended to discourage the use of face masks or to dismiss the seriousness of Covid-19. This article is intended to discourage the use of totalitarianism by our local governments and to discourage shaming your neighbors for not wearing masks. “Oh, What a Tangled Web We Weave, When First We Practice to Deceive!" (Sir Walter Scott, 1808) Since wearing a face mask is becoming a virtue- signaling, politically-religious, gaslighting ritual in our society I thought it would be good to balance that ritual with a ritual chant:  “Masks, in general, don’t work.” Say it with me: “Masks, in general, don’t work. Masks, in general, don’t work. Masks, in general, don’t work.”        Now, hang on a moment. Stay with me. The following is my best effort at composing my thoughts after all the advice, data, and general