Laurence Friedlander

More Apollonian than Dionysian. More Realist than Romantic. More truthful than misleading. Thus, paints clearly in a world gone preposterous and blind. A view often, but not always, of jaded detachment. Born of systemic exclusion. Add some intersectional alienation within a stratified global tribe. A personal narrative (not bought), within a conceptual analysis. My thanks to thousands of understanding viewers.

Bachelor of Arts, with Honours, University of Warwick, England on full and necessary scholarship. When there were 2,700 highly selected undergraduates only (148 IQ and up plus plenty of character). Unlike dumbed down, ever so intersected 33,000 of today. I was lectured on critical thinking, the how, on Day 1. Not done in "inclusive" now. Subsequently, Adversity in UK, a better teacher. Included "social slapping", institutional sneering, downgrading of my cultural capital to put me in my place, etc.. Which precluded me taking an offer of a PhD. course on full and necessary scholarship at UCLA USA (another Quality Learing Center?). Visiting Los Angeles for funeral of a friend. I did like the climate and ambience there (though they couldn't credit my political nous), better than cold and wet Boston or NYC. But "Adversity" in UK had successfully internalised their verdict inside of me. Look what they did to me (The Betrayed, The Path of Awareness, etc.), and others. "Education" round here is peopled by mediocrities who have played identity cards and encourage others to do so. Like Eric Hoffer, Jack Vettriano and others, typify me "self-taught". And I can.

Yes, twice. Heard: "Interesting" (Curator feedback). "Like Otto Dix" (technique or controversial? I wondered). "Have you ever thought of teaching Art?" (projection?), "reminds me of", "funny", "I like how you've done the shadows", "those steps, that's really difficult", "that tree", etc. "I used to be a boxer" (after viewing his muse, my painting: How Did you Die? his boxing life-story followed). "There's nobody smiling" [???], "I wouldn't have that in my house", (I surmised that was because she couldn't afford my price), among other compliments, including "brilliant", (projection?). One lady asked to touch surface of a painting and became, so it appeared, transfigured (more projection, herself onto my canvas?). City Girl, a 2025 painting, very well favoured to me by numerous female viewers when I was in attendance at exhibits. (PS: when I use the word projection it is as far as I comprehend, which might not be totally correct, British, distinct from USA, Psychological meaning).