Tag Archives: 1943

Modern Art Monday Presents: Meret Oppenheim, Daphne and Apollo

daphne and apollo by meret oppenheim
Photo By Gail

Meret Oppenheim drew broadly on stories from the past, including Greco-Roman and medieval sources. She reimagined these narratives and the fates of their female protagonists in ways that reflected her views on the role of women in society. In Daphne and Apollo (1943), she reinterpreted the Greek myth of Apollo and Daphne, in which the wood nymph would rather hunt than become the god’s lover. Unable to escape him, she turns into a laurel tree. In Oppenheim’s version, the artist subjects Apollo, too, to a vegetal transformation, depicting him as a potato-like form, surrounded by flies.

Photographed in the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

Modern Art Monday Presents: Ivan Albright, Picture of Dorian Gray

picture of dorian gray by ivan albright photo by gail worley
Photo By Gail

Ivan Albright painted this lurid work for the 1945 movie adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s 1891 novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray. In Wilde’s tale, Dorian Gary commissions a portrait of himself as an attractive young man, and later trades his soul for an ever-youthful appearance.  As the still-handsome Gray leads an increasingly dissolute and evil life, his painted representation rots and decays, revealing the extent of his moral corruption. Albright’s renown as a painter of the macabre made him the ideal choice to paint the horrific image of Gray for the film. Although the movie was shot in black and white, director Albert Lewin filmed the painted portrait in color to emphasize Gray’s shocking transformation.

Photographed in the Art Institute, Chicago.

Happy 70th Birthday, George Harrison

George Harrison 1965
Image Source

George Harrison, my favorite Beatle, would have been 70 years old today, having been born on February 25th, 1943. If you haven’t yet seen the Martin Scorcese directed Harrison Biopic Living In The Material World, you should check it out.

Happy 70th Birthday, Janis Joplin

Janis Joplin Smiling
Image Source

The late Janis Joplin was born on this day, January 19th, in 1943. Today she would have been 70 years old. She is still the best female vocalist ever, in my opinion.

Happy Birthday, Creed Bratton!



Former guitarist for the sixties’ pop band Grass Roots, Creed Bratton, was born on this day, February 8th in 1943! Creed can be seen in the video above for the Grass Roots’ awesome hit, “Midnight Confessions,” wearing a royal blue shirt, standing on the far left. These days, Creed is best known for playing a fictionalized version of himself, Dunder Mifflin customer service rep Creed Bratton, on NBC’s The Office. Happy Birthday Creed! Thanks for the great music and all the laughs!

Creed Bratton