Hi Lizzy, great post! I thought you dealt brilliantly with the depictions not only of art, but artists in Alison! I grew up (kind of) in that world, as my dad is a painter and my mum is a sculptor (they met at art college!) and it felt really evocative of my childhood. I remember having some feeling that could have been close to cringe reading What I Loved, I think she does quite a lot of describing of paintings (in my memory, although I could have embellished that!).
Originally I thought you were going to talk about paintings in the backgrounds of film and TV, which I always find super distracting! I am always commenting about them: “those paintings are disgusting!” Etc...!
Ha. yes the paintings on walls in people's home on TV and film are often completely incongruous to the character they're trying to make you believe in!!
Ha Lizzy, I laughed at the bit where you swore to never watch Synecdoche, NY again. My brain's gone blank for fictional artwork - my first thought was a sculpture described in a short story I'd listened to on a podcast, but I googled it and it turned out to be a real sculpture (it was Félix González-Torres's Portrait of Ross and I can't remember the name of the short story that mentioned it now, either. Useless.)
Just listened to a short story on the New Yorker Writer's Voice podcast this morning that made me think of this post again. It was Rachel Cusk reading her story Stuntman. It's about a painter called D - you can read it here https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/04/24/the-stuntman-fiction-rachel-cusk - but Cusk reads it really well on the app.
I think this painter is fictional, but the writing about the work is so interesting! I don't know if the paintings are based on real paintings (why wouldn't the character then have the artist's real name?) but if they're all just imaginary it's quite exciting!
This has reminded me that I also 'enjoyed' (absolutely not the right word) Cusk's artist character in Second Place. I'll have a listen... Thanks Katie!
Such an interesting post, thank you! I agree with Ella that you dealt really well with the art in Alison - but it’s an interesting problem that you gave yourself! It’s an oldie but I was so annoyed by how shit Leonardo DiCaprio’s drawing was in Titanic. And I liked Delia’s art in Beetlejuice but I think that was easier as I’m not sure we were meant to take it as seriously as she did!
Ah I was 12 when titanic came out so I think I initially though the drawing was VERY BEAUTIFUL AND MOVING. Only a few years later my mind was very much changed.
Such a good post. I always enjoyed Brian’s artwork in Spaced.
Hi Lizzy, great post! I thought you dealt brilliantly with the depictions not only of art, but artists in Alison! I grew up (kind of) in that world, as my dad is a painter and my mum is a sculptor (they met at art college!) and it felt really evocative of my childhood. I remember having some feeling that could have been close to cringe reading What I Loved, I think she does quite a lot of describing of paintings (in my memory, although I could have embellished that!).
Originally I thought you were going to talk about paintings in the backgrounds of film and TV, which I always find super distracting! I am always commenting about them: “those paintings are disgusting!” Etc...!
Ha. yes the paintings on walls in people's home on TV and film are often completely incongruous to the character they're trying to make you believe in!!
Ha Lizzy, I laughed at the bit where you swore to never watch Synecdoche, NY again. My brain's gone blank for fictional artwork - my first thought was a sculpture described in a short story I'd listened to on a podcast, but I googled it and it turned out to be a real sculpture (it was Félix González-Torres's Portrait of Ross and I can't remember the name of the short story that mentioned it now, either. Useless.)
I have also read a piece of writing about that work!! WHERE WAS IT??? Oh god.
Just listened to a short story on the New Yorker Writer's Voice podcast this morning that made me think of this post again. It was Rachel Cusk reading her story Stuntman. It's about a painter called D - you can read it here https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/04/24/the-stuntman-fiction-rachel-cusk - but Cusk reads it really well on the app.
I think this painter is fictional, but the writing about the work is so interesting! I don't know if the paintings are based on real paintings (why wouldn't the character then have the artist's real name?) but if they're all just imaginary it's quite exciting!
This has reminded me that I also 'enjoyed' (absolutely not the right word) Cusk's artist character in Second Place. I'll have a listen... Thanks Katie!
Such an interesting post, thank you! I agree with Ella that you dealt really well with the art in Alison - but it’s an interesting problem that you gave yourself! It’s an oldie but I was so annoyed by how shit Leonardo DiCaprio’s drawing was in Titanic. And I liked Delia’s art in Beetlejuice but I think that was easier as I’m not sure we were meant to take it as seriously as she did!
Ah I was 12 when titanic came out so I think I initially though the drawing was VERY BEAUTIFUL AND MOVING. Only a few years later my mind was very much changed.
Haha! I need to check it out again! I’ve been trying to persuade my 16 year old son to watch Titanic with me. I have renewed enthusiasm for this now!
This is awesome!