Alex Katz Speaks … a Little

The New York Times “Show Us Your Walls” column has been about as successful as its title. A great example of its missed opportunities is the just released interview with Alex Katz.

Of his many talents, Katz is able speak about art in wholly original way informed by his own interest as a painter but also as an artist who is deeply engaged with the history of painting but speaks of it in a muscular, personal way.

An example is this comment on Francis Picabia: “His work always fascinated me because he’s such a lousy painter technically and such a great artist.”

But the Times barely lets him get going on the supposed subject of the column, the art he owns and keeps for himself:

I’m not a collector type, actually. I throw everything out. But when I started making money, I thought I should buy some stuff for the education. Since I’ve been around for so long, it adds up.

At 90, Still Raising the Bar for Himself — and the Other Guys (The New York Times)