Here's Jan Pienkowski, died over the weekend; taking another slice of my life with him. Every time a friend dies I'm dimmed. He was such fun. I was lucky to get to spend time with him when he took a year out to paint but he had the spirit of a designer - a brilliant one, fortunately, - and went back to work after the year out.
Took this photo in 1983. A group of us used to life-draw in his Barnes house. In those days... well, he was always trying to shop us chattering like 'a cocktail party' and as he did various covers for books he would get the audio version free from the publisher. This was v innovative in the early '80's... he would play us audio books and then there was the debate about the book and etc etc.so not really an aid to concentration. Had some good models. Some good artists there, mostly from his design studio if memory serves. He taught me to draw under tables! We always carried notebooks then and any excursion to cafe or bar was drawn. Quick marks, not looking at paper.
It's not just Jan passing that I mourn but that the world that made him possible - that he co-created? - is gone. Im out of touch with real life but I have the feeling that *real* creativity is ended. The world is all audience, demanding entertainment.
Sounds like time for coffee.
No comments:
Post a Comment