Prophet Royal Robertson at SHRINE and Bianca Beck at RACHEL UFFNER

James Kalm on his Sunday cultural cruses drifts hither and thither around the Lower East Side, scouting out exhibitions and events of interest to his worldwide audience. But, if there’s one thing that attracts him like a bee to honey, it’s a show of “Outsider Art”. Prophet Royal Robertson is a prime example of the “Outsider,” an amalgam of both the visionary and the tragically pathetic. Working as a sign painter in Baldwin Louisiana, Robertson fell in love, but due to his fragile grip on reality, lost his wife and family to his ever increasing mental instability. Yet, he continued to make paintings and diagrams depicting space ships, calendars, his lover Adel and his own unique interpretations of scenes from the Bible. Bianca Beck presents a series of works titled “Body Double”. Beginning with a selection of paintings on panel, Beck fills the main gallery with her human sized sculptures that are inspired by “political protest—the swell of their mass and voice”. These “figures” might combine the ancient forms of Cycladic goddesses with the inflated fecundity of Niki de Saint Phalle’s “Woman” sculptures, but are imbued with Beck’s insistent expressive brushwork and color. A musical introduction is provided by the New York Serenaders. This program was recorded November 3 - 4, 2018.