#nut art

[dreamlab]

The highest form of appreciation for one's supplies.

[culture-capsule]

“ … THE NUT ARTIFICER TRAVELS IN A PHANTASMAGORIC MICRO-WORLD, SMALL AND EXTREMELY COMPACT, AS IS THE LIGHT OF A DWARF STAR IMPLODING INWARD AND IN PASSAGE COLLAPSING PARADISE AND HELL TO ONE AS IT VANISHES FOREVER WITH OUR JOYS, SORROWS AND UNREQUITED LOVE.” -Nut Art movement manifesto

Clayton Bailey, “Demented Pinhead (Portrait of Dr. Gladstone)” (1971)

Harold Schlotzhauer, Nut Art exhibition announcement (1972)

Maija Peeples-Bright, “SeaSaw Beasts” (1965)

article: “Revisiting the Witty Work of 1970s Bay Area Nut Artists”:

“Los Feliz, Calif.— There are two narratives that describe the founding of Nut Art. The more famous one is recounted in an unpublished manuscript called Basic Art, authored by prolific mail artist, art writer, and self-appointed “Nut chronicler” David Zack. According to Zack, painters Roy De Forest and Maija Peeples-Bright and ceramists Clayton Bailey and Dave Gilhooly were sitting around a table in De Forest’s home when Zack proclaimed the need for a new art movement. The others assented but could not agree on how to christen the enterprise. The anecdote ends thus: “Roy’s mother Oma came up with a round tray full of open brown bottles of Swan Lager, plus some vegetarian bacon crisps. Everyone said Nut Art at once. Nut Art was born...”

[thrifterror]

For some reason I find this deeply disturbing. Maybe it’s the dark void of its soulless eyes.