Anticipates Post While Pre-Dating Neo

FEW PEOPLE REALIZE THAT PRECEDING THE RAGE FOR PICTORAL IMAGERY THAT CHARACTERIZED THE NEW YORK ART SCENE IN THE 1980'S, A SMALL BUT INFLUENTIAL GROUP OF PARISIAN PAINTERS CAPTURED EUROPE'S IMAGINATION WITH THE STIRRING OPULENCE OF THEIR RECIDIVIST WORK.

Questionnez Vos Petites Cuillers, Currado Malaspina, oil on canvas. 1973

SUBJECTED TO THE CRITICAL  RACK AND CURATORIAL THUMBSCREW OF THE REIGNING AMERICAN PATRICIANS OF THE TIME, THIS PICKLED COTERIE OF ARTISTIC ADVENTURERS WERE TACTLESSLY IGNORED EVERYWHERE WEST OF BORDEAUX.

THE YOUNGEST MEMBER AND UNOFFICIAL MASCOT OF WHAT BECAME KNOWN AS L'ÉQUIPE DE RÊVEURS INSOLENT WAS MY GOOD FRIEND, CURRADO MALASPINA. HIS WORK AT THE TIME CLEARLY ANTICIPATES MUCH OF WHAT DOMINATED THE CAVERNOUS SHOWROOMS OF WEST BROADWAY CIRCA 1980 - 1985. THAT HE IS RARELY GIVEN CREDIT FOR HIS BROAD INFLUENCE IS SOMETHING HE ATTRIBUTES TO "LE PROVINCIALISM ET DE L'ARROGANCE" OF THE NEW YORK ARTWORLD OF THAT ERA.

THIS GROSS INJUSTICE IS ABOUT TO CHANGE. IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ART HISTORIAN VIOLETTA GUISE OF THE ACADEMIE DES ORDURES AND MOSHE NAVARRE, DIRECTOR OF PARIS'  GALERIE FER A CHEVAL, A COMPREHENSIVE EXHIBITION CONNECTING EARLY MALASPINA WITH ITS AMERICAN OFFSPRING  IS ABOUT TO OPEN THIS SUMMER AT THE MUSÉE D'ART MODERNE AUDRUICQ.

THOUGH IT REVEALS CURRADO'S VAPID AND CALLOW JUVENILIA, THE CORRECTIVE IS LONG OVERDUE!