An Evening of Pairs

Jeanne and I. Dietrich and Phillips. Dosas and Lassis. That was the order of a recent evening.



We saw the Painting and Misappropriation show at Swiss Institute. Swiss painter, Adolf Dietrich’s (1877-1957) lovely little still life, landscape, and animal portrait paintings are on view side by side with Dietrich-inspired and larger than life Richard Phillips (b. 1962) paintings.

In some works Phillips recreates Dietrich, but huge and slick.



In others he adapts Dietrich’s surreal landscapes into hyper-real backgrounds for portraits.



It is certainly painting about painting, not always my favorite theme, but there is a lot to like about this pairing. Dietrich’s paintings are detailed and nuanced where Phillips’ are saturated and confrontational.



I found myself walking around the show a few times to take it in – homage, exploitation, appropriation, singularity, and duality.

Side Note: The Arnold Odermatt show in the reading room is interesting, disturbing, and wonderful photography. According to the press release, Odermatt was a police officer in Switzerland who photographed traffic accidents that were part of his professional life and became famous in his retirement on the publication of Karambolage, a journal of these photos.

Another great pairing just down the street from SI– dosas and mango lassis from Hampton Chutney Co.



This is excellent not-quite-fast-food in Soho. Dosa fillings include, but are not limited to, traditional masala potatoes as well as non-traditional spinach, jack cheese, tomatoes, avocado, grilled portabello mushrooms, and balsamic roasted onions. Each dosa also comes with a chutney on the side. We had cilantro and tomato – both sparkled with flavor.