The Demon (Mustard) Seed

G'morning.

There's a nice little write-up of The Chicago Art Dept. show going on this month, right here, in Chicago Weekly, from the University of Chicago, which mentions Mr. Mustard here. I'm not sure on the hours, or if the hours noted in the article are accurate, so I would check here first, if you're going. And you should, you know, go.

This is what I wrote about Ed:

A Tribute: Artist Ed Ruscha as Zombie Mustard Bottle
Mixed Media on Wood Panel, 11”x 10”

I hate zombies. The idea of familiar and beloved town-folk coming back to eat my brains is too much for me to bear. So, portraying my favorite artist, Ed Ruscha, as a realistic, undead entity simply would not do: I can wish him no harm, even at Halloween, which I also love. Ruscha is also not yet dead, but, you know, not a spring chicken; so I wish not to tempt fate too much.

In the 70’s, he worked a lot of non-traditional pigments and materials into his prints, drawings, and paintings, including, of course, mustard. Hence, Artist Ed Ruscha as Zombie Mustard Bottle, staggering into the fast-food night.

-Mark Mattson, Philadelphia, 2008.

Twenty-six artists in all in the show, up only until Halloween, so get on down there. Call for hours.