Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Today's Obsession: Dino Dinco and John Millais



I have a few obsessions that I go back to. One of them is my love and curiosity of Shakespeare and Greek tragedies, which in turn has something to do with my love of Ophelia by John Millais. I also have always been drawn to this painting as it reminded me of times in the forest in Virginia. Even though we know the fate of Ophelia, I never so much saw death in the painting, as I did another stolen moment....almost like a moment seeing myself?

Today I happened upon the lightjet print of Dino Dinco from his series "Elysian Park" and my brain went directly to seeing the Ophelia painting. The palette, the sticks rising up just as her hands, the red cart, her red hair, the natural framing of foliage, the matching patches of grass.....

Ophelia is in the hands of the Tate. LA-based Dinco's piece was in his show at the Project One gallery in San Francisco. He says he never saw the Millais painting before I pointed it out to him, but we were both impressed by the similarities.

I would love a grand diptych...

No comments: