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"DecayandResurrectionislargelyapreconceivedwork,butwithafascinating
shareofthechancecharacteristicsofFlux.Asidefromthepatternitself,agreat
varietyof texturesandtactilevaluescanbeobtained,fromsilky smoothnessto
pebbly,serpentine,wavy,elephant-hide,etc.AFluxpaintinghasthedualnature
nfthemicro-macrocosmicworld.Seenimderamagnifyingglassormicroscope,dots
ordetailsarenotmerelyenlarged, butrevealanewworldofintriguingorganic
design.
"WhileIregardFluxasanewvisualexperienceinpainting,andaresearchfor
newaestheticvalues,ithas precedentsinthepast,beginningwith Laotseand
Heraclitus,throughVikinglabyrinthianadventures,andembracingpointsofview
fromdaVincitoDuchamp.Istriveforrelationshipofideaandtechnic,andfor
theircomplements,unityandorder.ToplaceoneselfintherealmofFluxaffordsjoy
andliberation.Intheabstractweareofallthings,andofallmankind,andIseek
torecordallofmysensationsregardless,andifpossiblecontributetothewholeof
humanexperience.IchoseFluxbecauseitisfree,limitlessandliving:theendis
impossible.IliketosaythatGod,TruthandArtareamongtheimpossiblesinour
life.Thatiswhytheyattractourstruggles,foronlytheimpossiblekeepsusalive."
KnudMerrildwasborninOdum,Denmark,in1894.HestudiedattheRoyal
AcademyofFineArtsinCopenhagenandtraveledinNorway,Sweden,Germany,
France,England,andScotland.In 1921 hecametoAmerica,andsincethattime
hasvisitednearlyeverystateintheunion.
Merrildhasbeenawardednineprizesforpainting,sculpture,andthecraftsand
hasexhibitedwidelythroughouttheUnitedStates.Hisworkhasalsobeenonview
inParis.HehasnevertaughtartbutistheauthorofthebookAPoetandTwo
Painters(London,1938;NewYork, 1939),amemoirofD.H.Lawrence,witha
forewordbyAldousHuxley.Furtherliteraryactivitycomprisesachapterinabook
aboutHenry MillercalledTheHappyRock andarticlesonartandtravel in
periodicalsandthedailypress.
PubliccollectionswhichhaveexamplesofhisworkaretheMuseumofModern
ArtinNewYork;BrooklynMuseum;PhiladelphiaMuseumofArt;ArtInstituteof
Chicago;LosAngeles(California)CountyMuseum;permanentcollectionoftheLos
AngelesCountyFairatPomona;LosAngeles.\riAssociation;FineArtsSocietyof
SanDiego,California;SanFrancisco(California)MuseumofArt;andtheArtsand
CraftsMuseumofCopenhagen.Amongprivatecollections wherehispaintingis
representedare tho.seofWalterC.Aren.sberg,Lor.serFeitelson,AldousHuxley,
CliffordOdets,andManRay.HelivesinLosAngeles.
MICHAEL,Lily,DuelandPantomime,^28 x^21 '/;. Illustration—Plate^32
"Ithinkitwouldbeofinteresttodescribemytechnique,sinceitisnotthe
usualapproach,"writesLilyMichael.
"Onthescratchboardorcanvas,Ispreadvariouslayersofcasein,overwhichI
coverIndiaInk.TheimplementIusetoworkwithisanordinarysewingneedle.
Withtheblackareaasastartingpoint,Iscratchthroughtothevariouscolors,using
differentpressuresoftheneedletogetdepths,nuances,highlights,etc.
"Workinginstinctively,themoodbeginstoemergeasoneformsuggestsanother.
Oncetheworkhastentativelytakenhold,Icanthengoaheadconsciouslyintegrating
theconception."
ShewasborninEnglandin1912,spentherearlyyearsabroad,butwaseducated