2013 was the third year Galleri Urbane has taken my work to the Dallas Art Fair. For the fair this year I made some new Mascleta paintings on panel with colored pencil. Three of this series are now on view in Dallas:

Mascleta Green Light, 2012, 12″ x 12″, acrylic and pencil on panel

Earlier this month I spent a day in Madrid. I treated myself to a day of being a tourist as I walked from the Atocha train station, up through the center of town to the Plaza Mayor, and discovered the Mercado de San Miguel. As I made my way through the Puerta Del Sol and on to the neighborhood of Chueca, I snapped photos of cobble stone streets and tiled street signs. One of the hihlights of the day was finally getting to see Picasso’s Guernica. I have longed for many years to see this piece in person where it is installed in the Reina Sofia. This was my first stop of the day:

Guernica was dimly lit with special non-damaging bulbs, a guard sitting right next to it, and a rope keeping viewers a safe distance away. The entire room was dedicated to the mural including photographs of the piece in progress and correspondence regarding Picasso’s wish to donate the piece to the museum. There was a crowd of people in front of the mural but I easily managed to squeeze a spot in front and have a good long view. Not like when I was in Paris as a teenager and the crowd in front of the glass encased Mona Lisa was so dense that I gave up trying to get a good view. I remember that experience as if there were hordes of paparazzi vying for a glimpse of Paris’ super star.

I also just finished 15 Mascleta Paper pieces . Six will be exhibited for my second show with Brooklyn based new media gallery BSDA this summer:

This month’s music: James Blake