Wine Cellar Session notes by Austin Ward

Wine Cellar Sessions: Notes from the Underground

Metaphysics

featuring Joe Kitsch

White Rabbit in a Snowstorm, grass and paper on paper, 11x14 inches

Craggy Range, "Fletcher Family Vineyard" Riesling, Marlborough, 2008

Paired with "White Rabbit in a Snowstorm" #1,#2,#3

The motto of Craggy Range Winery is: Single Vineyard, Single Minded. This Riesling from the Fletcher Family Vineyard expresses its origin. Like each of the three "White Rabbits" there is a uniqueness to the wine that cannot be recreated elsewhere. The rich texture of painting 1 is echoed by the silky minerality in the Riesling. The piercing red eye of painting 2 is reminiscent of the bright, piercing acidity of the wine. Painting 3 shows a rabbit near a patch of grass, this is representative of the subtle earthiness that Riesling is known to display.

Nude (female), acrylic in canvas, 30 x 20 inches

J. Lohr "Wildflower" Valdiguie, Arroyo Seco, 2008

Paired with Nude (Male), Nude (Female)

The Nude has been a classic subject of artists for centuries. These two nudes are a new take on an old classic. Such is the way with the J. Lohr Valdiguie. This wine is very similar to Beaujolais, the famously delicious Red Burgundy made from the Gamay grape. Light, fruity and refreshing when slightly chilled, Valdiguie is also known as "Napa Gamay." We will leave the more senual parallels of this pairing to your own interpretation!

Triskaidekaphobia, cigarette ash and mixed media on paper in found frame with rabbit feet, 28x23.5 inches

Tablas Creek Mourvedre, Paso Robles, 2005

Paired with Triskaidekaphobia, White Rabbit in a Snowstorm

Mourvedre is a grape which originates in the Rhone Valley of France. It is known for its gamey, earthy and smoky flavors. There is a smokiness to to both these paintings that is echoed in the tobacco and mocha aromas of the wine. One tasting note I have heard for this wine in the past is "roasted meat." There is something about Triskaidekaphobia that evokes these roasted qualities, or at least a slight morbidity that is alluded to by the brooding fruit character of the wine.

White Rabbit in a Snowstorm, acrylic on canvas, 30x20 inches

Crios de Susana Balbo Rose of Malbec, Mendoza, 2008

Paired with White Rabbit in a Snowstorm

Apart from the clear color association taking place between the wine and the art in this case, there are other parallels to be drawn. This is a wine that has elegance and depth while being light and refreshing. Joe Kitsch's art in general is fun and lighthearted, but as many of you have probably discovered by now, there is more than meets the eye with these beautiful works of art. Aromas of strawberry, raspberry and roses abound from the glass. Any of which a white rabbit in a snowstorm would love to discover.

Eye Candy (medium), store-bought, computer-mixed latex paint on canvas, 30x20 inches

Crios de Susana Balbo Torrontes, Mendoza, 2008

Paired with Eye Candy

Torrontes is a grape variety with a very colorful character. Peach, tangerine, tropical melon and floral aromas make this wine taste like candy in a glass. This pairing explains itself.

-Austin Ward, wine steward, Legal Seafoods, Park Square

You're invited to Wine Cellar Sessions ft/ Joe Kitsch

Wine Cellar Sessions: Notes from the Underground

Tuesday, May 26, 2009 6:30 PM $25 per person

The Wine Cellar @ Legal Seafoods

26 Park Place, Boston, MA 02116

LIMITED AVAILABILITY... reserve your spot today!

Call (617) 530-9436 or email award@legalseafoods.com for reservations.

"Metaphysics- The foundations of Art and Wine featuring Joe Kitsch."

Week 3 of the Wine Cellar Sessions presented by Austin Ward, Park Square Wine Steward. Tasting notes from the artist, wine paired with works of art. Molecular gastronomy presented by LSF area chef, Chris Cowen.

Expanding My Social Circle

Find Joe Kitsch on Facebook! Receive updates on new work, shows and more. Become a fan today!!

Breaking the Mold

While attending my friend Chris Speakman's show SPORTS, ART & PROPAGANDA I discovered another art show going on at the rear of Michelle Willey. It was a display of artisan crafted ceramics. All types of techniques were being exhibited and all forms of vessels. What caught my eye was when one of the display cards noted a vessel was non-functional. See the brownish one at the top of this picture? That's the one. Nothing really to write home about (or in this case blog) because many ceramic artists create vessels with the intention of it being non-functional, or rather, for aesthetic purposes. I came to the realization that this Minimalism embedded in the craft of ceramic arts.

All the vessels were very well made and pleasant to view but as I mentioned, nothing to get excited about. That is until something caught my eye... Located on a bottom shelf and easily overlooked was a ceramic shape, irregular and not vessel-like.

Towels! Towels made of earthen material. Towels that no amount of fabric softener could ever hope to save. Non-functional ceramic sculpture that dared to stand out among the other crafted vessels. Now this is art.

Kudos to you Ingrid Bathe! You broke the mold...

Opening reception for SPORTS, ART & PROPAGANDA

Here are some pics from the opening reception of my friend Chris Speakman's art show, SPORTS, ART & PROPAGANDA at Michelle Willey. Cool store, good choice of work to hang that you should check out at Chris' website www.SportsPropaganda.com (nudge nudge). 

Video Art

In my studies, I was never thrilled with video art. Most videos were uninspiring. Others were just plain terrible (think of a one or two star rated video on Youtube). Until recently, I thought the best video art were a handful of movies and music videos. (Remember music videos? Do they still make them? And not to be cliche, but remember when Mtv played music videos?)

Occasionally, some people come by and change your mind. Like Amy Carpenter, a local artist who made some terrific and highly enjoyable videos while being very low-tech. Check out the Tuesday, January 10, 2006 entry, titled Safety Rescue Horse, on WelcomeToAmyville.com, Amy's blog. It's still my favorite to this day.

Then comes along an artist like Nam Jun Paik and shows the world what a person can do with video and call it art. Unfortunately, he passed away in 2006, but what he left behind is... well, to call it remarkable is selling it short, but you get the point.

Viewing a still of this Nam Jun Paik work, it seems fairly simplistic. Seventy TV monitors depicting the American flag. Whoop-dee-doo. Wouldn't be the first time an artist made something from Old Glory, right? Like that Jasper guy.

Nam Jun Paik only uses the composition of the flag to 1.) orient areas of video and 2.) give the viewer a general idea about the subject matter. The important stuff to look for are the layers of video and what they reveal to tell a story, or give further information about the general subject matter. Here, images in the stripes whirl by revealing 1's and 0's and a myriad of other things. The patch of stars consists of areas of the actual flag documented at different distances. This does not last long. It rapidly fades or flashes into other images. 

With all the flashing and rapid movement, it becomes very disorienting. And entrancing. It feels like it goes on for eternity. Yes, it is on a loop but that's not the point. There is no beginning or end to the work's subject matter, or "story." For me, it wasn't about the analysis of subject matter. What struck me most of all was the EXPERIENCE of viewing it.

You can look at paintings. You can look at sculptures. You can watch any number of videos or film. The work of Nam Jun Paik, you experience, like an event or interaction with a living thing.

It's difficult to express this to other people who may not have experienced his work. Do yourself a favor and find out where his work resides (museums in D.C., NYC, etc.) and make a special trip to see them. It will most definitely open your eyes.

An Integral Part of the Human Condition

...Sabina's path of betrayals would then continue elsewhere, and from the depths of her being, a silly mawkish song about two shining windows and the happy family living behind them would occasionally make its way into the unbearable lightness of being.

Though touched by the song, Sabina did not take her feeling seriously. She knew only too well that the song was a beautiful lie. As soon as kitsch is recognized for the lie it is, it moves into the context of non-kitsch, thus losing its authoritarian power and becoming as touching as any other human weakness. For none among us is superman enough to escape kitsch completely. No matter how we scorn it, kitsch is an integral part of the human condition.

Milan Kundera from The Unbearable Lightness of Being (pg. 256)