Thursday, June 10, 2010

TV! Work of Art


Bravo premiered their new reality competition show last night. Work of Art is basically Project Runway or Top Chef, only with fine artists. I only sort of watched the first half, but fully tuned my attention in for the judging. Each artistestant had to do a portrait of another artistestant, someone they'd just met. Oh, and they had to do it in thirteen hours.
Now, I wasn't sure if I would like this show. If fashion design is subjective, Fine Art is a billion times (more or less) more subjective. What I love you might hate. That doesn't make it good or bad; it's just a matter of taste, right?
But throw all of that analytical thinking out the window, and just enjoy this show for what it is: A bunch of high-strung, creative people who probably have ego issues, thrown together in a small living space, competing against each other doing what they love, while high on paint fumes and a steady diet of Chinese carryout.
My favorite painting from last night's episode is the portrait above. I didn't really catch the "Meet the Contestants" portion of the show, so I can't comment too much on the artist who painted it. I love the painting, and the guy did it in thirteen hours. Amazing.
There are two artistestants to watch--the bitchy performance artist woman and the outsider never been trained guy who sleeps in his truck. Both got way too defensive and verbally weird during the judging process. Both were also in the bottom three, but they got to stay. Why, you may ask? Because they have GOOD TV POTENTIAL, people! So the soft-spoken architect lady who painted a powder room wallpaper pattern was sent home.
Hey, it's summer and there's nothing on. Lost is over. No Project Runway. I watched ten minutes of America's Got Talent, and realized it was just a spiffier version of The Gong Show. I'm going through Netflix DVDs at an alarming rate. Work of Art is harmless Bravo entertainment at its best, with not a single shrewish drunken Housewife in sight. Give it a go.

3 comments:

  1. I don't have Bravo so will have to watch this show thru you! This is something I might really watch. Reminds me of 1st year in college when we did self portraits, oh the drama and the nasty came out between the Fine Artists/Illustrators and us Graphic people! Memories!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh, I remember Poetry Workshops. Egads! You might be able to watch these on Bravo's website.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Didn't watch it but I like the painting you have pictured. Looks like a slow tv summer to me but I should be outside anyway

    ReplyDelete