Rich Morrow: Ascension to the Fourth Floor Studio

 

This amazing cardboard construction is Rich Morrow's entry in our annual Gold Medal Show.

Sculptures never win the gold medal --  and conceptual art never should --- but this is certainly the most memorable piece I've seen here over the past thirty years - as well as the most effusive expression of love our retrograde art organization has ever received.

And yes... I love it too.

Larado Taft's "Fountain of Time" emerges from the roof (the very first club members met in Taft's studio), and above that the blessed spirits of the deceased ascend to an eternity of bickering over the music and lighting in the celestial fourth floor studio.

Apparently these figures were lifted from illustrations in old editions of "The Cowbell", the club's occasional newsletter back in the day.

Rembrandt was never a member -- but wouldn't he be teaching special workshops here if he could ?

 .

A view up into the third floor studio -- where members from a hundred years ago can still be seen hard at work.

It's rather sad to compare Michelangelo's original drawing ( shown above at the left of the door) with the hapless variation that now hangs on our building. But it's also comforting. It seems to proclaim the mission of our institution:  it's good to strive, and it's O.K. to fail.

Something will always be causing anxiety for the staff in the basement office.

I'll have to ask Rich about that strange creature who's climbing down the gutter pipe.
(postscript: according to Rich, it's Frida Kahlo's spider monkey)