This morning I attended the first meeting of George Parrino’s students since he died. It lasted for over 2 hours and was the best tribute to how amazing of a person he was. There was not a dry eye in the room, and every person had a story to tell about how George changed their lives. It was an incredible thing that I’ll never forget. His teaching style, ability to penetrate through all the bullshit and his general lust for life has changed all of us who studied under him. We all fear the gingerbread man, one liners and the sucker punch.

Knox Martin was my advisor George Parrino’s mentor at Yale.

In the main hall there is Abromovic sitting in a chair opposite a member of the general public. Apparently some people end up in tears - marinaabramovicmademecry.tumblr.com. In the main exhibit, I was surprised by how powerful it was walking through a doorway with naked strangers either side. Although the space is wider than the original performance and the nude models were more like models than the general public, it was still uncomfortable squeezing through two completely naked bodies.

The painting on the left is a portrait of him done by one of his more recent students. The painting on the right is his most recent work.

This is my favorite piece by him, done many years ago I suspect. Unfortunately the stretchers have started to warp.

“If you see the Buddha, hit him with a stick” he would often tell in class.

1) One must respect the artist whose work one is criticising. That doesn’t mean that one has to like everything but rather that one must try and understand the creator’s motives and approach.

2) It is beholden on the critic to be knowledgeable about photography – not in some narrow, parochial way but in a deep and broad way.

3) The judge should be humble. The critics’ role should be to serve the photographers whose work they are appraising. He or she must bear in mind that whatever they feel about the image presented to them the person whose vision it is has no doubt poured their heart and soul into its making.

4) The critic must supply a reasoned argument for their opinion. It simply isn’t good enough to say that one doesn’t like something without backing up that opinion with reasons and examples to support one’s viewpoint.

5) The critic should make suggestions on how to improve a work. If they don’t have any suggestions they have no business being critical!

We had breakfast at “egg” and then went to PS1 today and saw the 1969 and Between Spaces show with Alexis. Our favorite work was the swimming pool that you can step into by Leandro Erlich. I’m gonna try and squeeze in the MOMA contemporary photography show that closes tomorrow.

More importantly we came home via the Irish markets on McLean Ave, where we were inspired to make our own Battenburg cake. We followed this recipe here.