Roger Herman studio visit, and procurement of the goblets
Today Tif and I visited Roger Herman. I'd worked for Roger, indirectly, when I worked at Black Dragon Society years and years ago. He had become more engaged with his artwork at that point, so I'd see him rarely. But when he did involve himself, it was always engaging. He and Hubert Schmalix were quite the dynamic duo.They were the first gallery to open, the first pilgrims, of the Chinatown art scene.
Today it was full immersion at his studio. His work was everywhere. It's tapped into all the quadrants of the space with imagery that is both brutal and joyful. He was working on a book project with Laura Owens, and as I gathered he only needed 20 images for the project at most and there was a tsunami of imagery that will be whittled to a chosen few.
He'd finished the goblets. They are beautiful, emotive and whimsical, aggressive and quiet, etc. They are goblets, but are certainly exaggerated, and not based on any platonic ideal of a goblet. He's good at stark contrasting everything's. I am torn as to show Bec and Ruben the works as they are finished but I've decided to surprise in equal amounts to reveal - these will be reveal.
To slightly diverge from the path, I would like to mention my admiration of the structure of Roger's own relationship. The literal architecture of it reminds me of Diego Riviera and Frieda Kahlo who had two separate houses connected by a corridor. It didn't work so well for them due to who knows how many complications (some known), but I am inspired by the arrangement and think it would work perfectly for many, but especially for me. Roger and Aika have two houses that are connected; they each are the king, and queen respectively. Its important to maintain individuality in a relationship, and in this way they come together as individuals, and have their own environments to escape to, work in, and be alone in. My admiration and advertisement of this arrangement is subjective, I realize.
