ART AS LOOK: A Review of Michael Lavine's
Selections from the ARTIST PORTRAIT SERIES
Team Gallery 527 w. 26th st. New York, NY
Oct.19 - Dec.22, 1996
Portait of Sylvie Fleury
To be a meme breeder, to be the look giver, to be the bearer of a style that will dominate the world as we know it--some have it, some don't--and Michael Lavine has the vision machine well in hand. He has transformed the grunge look of the 80's into the retro-mod-IBM-nerd-as-artist into the look of 90's. To be young, a genius, and good looking in the art world is not enough these days--you also have to have the Cover Look of a very Phatzine to be something that isn't five minutes ago. You also need to have had a show this year to warrant such a saturation of pop worship. His hyperstyle is readymade to meet the needs of tommorrow's Spin cover or Entertainment or Blur or BunnyHop or you name it--now Courtney Love and Sylvie Fleury can hang above our collective sofas, looking very ultragrovvy. Now Brad Pitt and Christian Schumann can lounge together under the light of my laval lamp digging--the poise of the aboveground scene-- who wants the noise of the underground. What Lavine is really good at--is making you feel bad you missed the party--everyone who is anyyone must have been on the beanbags. It's all about resentment--the pop thing--resentment at not being one of the chosen--but in the end the popcult mood will always grab you--why!? Because it has such a good beat, taste as good as a jellybean, and a martini always has away of making the whole damn world look like heaven. Thanks Mr. Levine--but can you take a picture of me!
ricardo dominguez
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