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I Cut Off My Ear
May 7th, 2008 - 06:12 PM
Well, I did it - and what a bloody mess. I cut off my ear. Hurts like the dickens. That's it wrapped in 100% acid-free cotton rag.
I thought my art would create its own buzz, but I am distraught that my Detroit Dozen series of pen & ink drawings - my take on twelve masterworks from The Detroit Institute of Arts, including my interpretation of Van Gogh's self-portrait - hasn't been an instant success: not the break-out event that has savvy collectors snapping them up. So I lopped off my ear. And I don't mean surgically removed; I hacked it off with a rusty linoleum knife. What was I thinking?
I'm not delusional like Van Gogh was when he pulled the same shocking publicity stunt over a century ago. He was despondent. His only patron in his trying lifetime was his brother Theo who bought one painting. And when his best bud Paul Gaugin left Arles and hopped a barge to Tahiti, Vince handed his ear to his favorite hooker. As for me, I don't have any favorites. Hell, I've only got two friends - and one of them is pretty iffy.
But my dear wife, who's pretty disgusted with me right now, is sewing my ear back on as we speak. Unfortunately, the only thread she could find in the sewing basket is bright blue. I'm afraid to look in the mirror. But that's nothing new, just this morning...
Well, that's not important. The question is, "for what?" Publicity! Forgive me. That's worse than self-mutilation.
It's just that I know what my artistic vision is worth. Despite the high caliber of talent here at FAA, mine is the gold standard of Gestalt: The whole is more than the sum of its parts. The human brain is forgiving and that's what makes my haphazard drawings compelling. They're also mazes. We all have quirks to indulge. I'll continue to investigate the mid-brain: the efficacy of the striatum and the role that basal ganglia plays on hand-eye coordination. Or hand-ear.
On the sunny side, I'm happy to announce that my pen & ink drawings are available as affordable laser prints (here and at www.garypetersonart.com ) - Archival quality for two sawbucks and pocket knife - I mean pocket change. Sounds like a sweet deal to me. I might even offer free shipping on the originals, which are only, like $225. But I'll have to play that by ear.
Blog: #1 of 3 by Gary Peterson
Comments
05/08/2008
05:51 PM
Dundas, ON
Veeeerrrry clever. AND....Too bad. The ear thing has already been done, and.... it didn't work. I imagine a clever man like you can think of something more effective to do with his ear.
05/07/2008
07:33 PM
Rosewood, FL
You have to be able to draw the face correctly to successfully distort it. You distort well. I wish I knew the answer to sale of art works. When you find it let us know.
