If ever I aspired to be an artist, Glenn Barr would make me want to toss my sketch pad -- yes, his work is good enough to deter, not inspire, a generation. Especially those whose work combines 60’s modernism with 20’s surrealism, if they thought they were being original, they will soon discover that they fall into the category of ‘been there, done that’. I am sure I am not the last person on earth to discover Glenn Barr, and with his level of success and exposure, at most, I might be considered as one of his many admirers.
What’s so deliciously irritating about Glenn Barr is his obvious classical training, flawless technique, mixed with tasteful perversion. I never thought I would want to hang a picture of a couple of ‘hos’ on my living room wall, but with his depiction of such coquettes in “Storyville”, I might consider it. And if that picture draws a snicker from a prudish friend, I might substitute it with “Girls Night Out”, which is a tamer print featuring two female characters who look suspiciously like Wilma and Betty of “The Flinestones” fame.
But I must admit what drew me to Glenn Barr, was not his semi-erotic prints, or his fanciful nature, but rather his classic retro creations. Taken out of context, 60’s were the days when sharp hair, liquid liner and the mini skirts were height of fashion -- and smoking in public was not only legal, it accompanied your coffee. I guess we have progressed past the free-love era, when no didn’t really mean yes, but it was harder to prove it in court. A time when the lovers revolution overshadowed the Vietnam war, civil rights ‘war’, and anything else socially relevant and important. Artists like Barr can remind us that this way of being is relevant and relatable today -- lustful suggestions or not. For more information, or to buy a print, book or ‘knick-knack’ -- visit his website at www.glennbarr.com.
*ms.b
Labels: Art
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