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Paul Look

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Father to Son

Talking on the phone to my son (the painter)
the other night, he says how much he likes
Leger’s paintings. I say I think Leger
is a cross between Mantegna and Matisse.

Not at all, he says, Leger has a hard poster-like
angularity that in no way derives from the two
you mention.

I don’t believe him, but cannot refute it:
after all, he is an artist and I am not, so
I let it slide and say how much I like the
film High Noon. “Huh!” he sneers, “Sir
Gawain in jeans.” I tell him Sir Gawain never
had a six-shooter, but he lets that slide.

Later, I show him what I’ve written here.
“Pseudo Ginsberg” he says. “So what?”
I retort, “‘A Supermarket in California’ is
a fine poem. I like Ginsberg. Anyway,
Leger copied Mantegna.” “He did not”
he shouts, “Leger is unique”. So is
Ginsberg” I fire. “Ginsberg is crap”
he says and won’t have it otherwise.

These young people! Anyway, Ginsberg is
not crap; maybe Leger is, but I don’t say so.

 

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