Robert Ryman

An artist of pure process is Robert Ryman. Ryman studied music for one year at the George Peabody College for Teachers in Nashville, Tennessee. He dropped out and went into the Army and was assigned to the band during the Korean War. He moved to New York in 1952 to study jazz music and taking odd jobs. He was employed as a guard at the Museum of Modern Art, New York. He then began to paint. Two years later he went pro. He painted a solid color onto a canvas. Then he began to paint white onto a white canvas. His obvious comment is that his stuff is not about a what, but a how. “There is never any question of what to paint, but how to paint.” How does one paint white on to a white canvas? I’d bet it’s difficult… One way or another he coned his way into an exhibition there three years later. I would chalk it up as he pals, Dan Flavin and Michael Venezia who worked at MoMA, giving him a break, but who knows… He had art friends like Eva Hesse and Sol LeWitt that may have helped him out. He has never received any formal or informal art training.
Sans titre, printemps
1974. 182 x 546 cm

I personally, and obviously, dislike Ryman very much. His work is a con and I cover him only to vent my disgust toward his mooching off of art buyers as a career. Its also as a word to the wise; just because its in an art gallery doesn’t make it art. Most art will increase in value, but not Ryman. One of his things sold for twenty-four million dollars, a decade later it depreciated to eleven million. Still too much in any logical persons mind. It’s like the old saying, “I can crap in a wrapper but that don’t make it a Snickers.” Honestly, it boggles my mind that anyone can seriously appreciate his stuff. He clams that he was never interested in the real, but that is probably because of his lack of ability rather that lack of enjoyment.