“Corn Liquor” and Other Pictures MOSTLY INSPIRED BY NELSON ALGREN'S “A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE”
John Minkoff
“A Walk on the Wild Side” Nelson Algren's “A Walk on the Wild Side”, set in the Great Depression, follows Dove Linkhorn, a poor, uneducated, naïve Texas kid, as he leaves home, rambles a while, and ends up in New Orleans, having many absurd and sordid adventures along the way. Funny, sad, and highly evocative of that time and place, the book really impressed me, and gave me many drawing/painting ideas. I don't consider these illustrations exactly, more like works that use a text as a springboard, and which hopefully stand on their own as images, or as combinations of image and word.
Contents: Part I: Drawings and a print inspired by Nelson Algren's “A Walk on the Wild Side” Part II: Three drawings from other sources.
All titles in quotes taken directly from the indicated source.
Thanks to Lori for her help.
©2011, John Minkoff
Part I: Drawings and a print inspired by Nelson Algren's “A Walk on the Wild Side�
Fitz Linkhorn
"He had a feeting feeling that a woman with red-gold hair had just touched his hand and disappeared behind a curtained door"
"'Mighty rough customer', the planets agreed..."
Dove with book at brothel
“Men and Beds and Odors”
Corn Liquor ("You can smell the feet of the boys who plowed the corn")
Shrimp and Onion
Shrimp
Dinner
Shrimp
Part II: Three drawings from other sources*
*See back for details
"Showed your photograph to an old grey-bearded man sitting on a bench outside a general store"
“The best of pea coffee”
Whale
Cover:
Corn Liquor 20” x 16” oil on canvas 2010 Media: All drawings: Fluid watercolor on kitakata paper 20” x 16” or 16” x 20” depending on orientation Second “Shrimp” image: sugarlift aquatint (monoprint) 15” x 8” Sources for Part II:
“Showed your photograph....” from Kentucky Rain, composed by Eddie Rabbitt and Dick Heard, performed by Elvis Presley “The best of pea coffee” phrase from Moby Dick, by Herman Melville “Whale” inspired by the article, “What are the Whales Trying to Tell Us?” , by Charles Siebert, New York Times Magazine, July 12, 2009 All artwork produced in 2009 and 2010 www.johnminkoff.com johnminkoff@hotmail.com
Most of the works seen here are available for purchase.