A R T   L E T T E R

The Timely Magazine of Art

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Stephen Mueller at Texas Gallery	1/20

A Clarification: My review Mueller's show in ARTLETTER 20 was intended to
be positive. I like pessimistic and resigned art. I like the negation of the
sublime. I am a nerdy Star Trek fan turned abstract artist. Pessimistic,
resigned, ambivalent, nerdy and tacky are descriptions of strengths in
Mueller's work; had I not liked it, I would have used words like bad, boring,
dull, or trite.- B.D.



Annette Lawrence at the Art League sculpture court	2/23

Juice-Justice-Court-Circus. Loaded words hint at vague meanings. The
juice got justice? The court is a circus?  One can read these meanings into
this work, but they are not carried through in visual form. The dark and
light rocks are arranged like a formal garden or a rug. Why? The center
circle of arrows suggests a basketball court or recycling. Why? It doesn't
add up. -B.D.



Nayland Blake Hare Attitudes at the CAM	2/25

While I'm for bunny art as much as the next guy, this show seems like a
half-hearted blend of current art trends. The best part of the show is where
he establishes his credentials ("I've been into bunnies for years") with two
photos, one of a young Nayland holding a rabbit, another of his parents
holding a baby Nayland with a stuffed bunny in the foreground. The actual
artworks are less satisfying. His cast chocolate heads resemble Janine
Antonis made less filling through reduced content. His negative bunny video
seems like a Mike Kelley without all the conceptual density. It's
contemporary art Lite, but at least it looks contemporary, which is more
than can be said for the oil paint carnage of the Derek Boshier show
upstairs.- Mark Allen



Delfina Vannucci at 801 Tulane St. (By appt. 863-0148)	2/19

My frustration is spelled out in tiny rub-on letters on playing cards and
words embroidered on fine crochet. Letters from my psychiatrist, test
scores, and a page from an unfinished teen sex novel offer a glimpse into
the dark corners of my personal life. Makes me squirm. -Delfina



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