Francis Bacon, a figurative painter, described as “that man who paints those dreadful pictures” was born in Ireland in 1909 and died in Spain in 1992. A top the list of James and I’s favorite artist! Francis Bacon had an impulsive, conflicted, and yet charming personality, when he chose to display it. He claimed to be optimistic, even if he was “optimistic about nothing” in his state of “exhilarated despair.” Bacon ultimately believed “that life was ridiculous,” saying “Even as a child, I knew [life] was impossible, a kind of charade.” Best wishes. -Willie Forreal

Saturday, June 19, 2010 at 6:30pm! Hear THE QUEEN IS DEAD performed live, in its entirety, along with other classic hits from The Smiths and Morrissey. With performances by Mother/Father, Nite Nite, the Armed Forces, Peter Barbee, Jeff Boswell, Nathan Barlowe, Birdie Bourdeaux and members of How I Became The Bomb, Bravo Max, My So-Called Band, the John Baldwin Jr Experience, and more at The Mercy Lounge!

Today, May 18, marks the 30th anniversary of the suicide of Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis. Joy Division released its critically-acclaimed debut album Unknown Pleasures in 1979, and recorded their follow-up Closer in 1980. Suffering from epilepsy and a failing marriage, Curtis committed suicide on 18 May 1980, on the eve of Joy Division’s first North American tour.

Richard Prince, is an American painter and photographer. His works have often been the subject of debates within the art world. Trained as a figure painter, Prince began creating collages containing photographs in 1975. His image, ‘Untitled (Cowboy), a rephotograph constructed from cigarette advertisements, was the first ‘photograph’ to raise more than $1 million at auction when it was sold at Christie’s New York in 2005, despite violating numerous copyright laws. Enjoy–Willie Forreal.

How can anybody learn anything from an artwork when the piece of art only reflects the vanity of the artist and not reality? -Lou Reed

Best wishes
Willie Forreal

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – Almost Cut My Hair

Click the picture! Surprise.
Best wishes
Willie Forreal