Oh Well 2012

Mel Bochner throws some wisdom around in "Oh Well" with paint and words, like a visual fortune cookie. The way he builds up the letters, thick and gloppy, reminds me of frosting a cake, but instead of sweetness, we get cynical sayings. Look at the word ‘Hopes’ - each brushstroke seems weighed down. Bochner’s not hiding the process; he’s flaunting it. The texture is everything. It’s like he’s saying, “Here’s the messy reality of life, slathered onto a canvas.” Reminds me of Ed Ruscha's word paintings, but with way more sarcasm. It's funny, you know? Like a visual sigh. We’re all just trying to learn to live with it, whatever “it” is.