How dare he!?

I lost a friend once because we disagreed about Gerhard Richter's paintings. I saw the 40 years of painting exhibit at MOMA and I thought it was a snooze fest. Apparently, it was simply not allowed to find the Great Richter's work dull, contrived, hollow, etc. I suffered the consequences — she and I haven't spoken for years.

I felt a mix of revulsion and vindication to-day when reading an interview with Richter that was reprinted in the Times. Richter's latest series of works ("War Cut") are about the Iraq war and — like his Baader-Meinhof tribute to post-war Germany's gang of miniature Hitlers, with paintings based on projected Photographs — his latest works involve a collage or, if I understand correctly, some kind of reproduction of newspaper articles on the canvas. Richter chose articles from the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung dated March 20-21, the first two days of the Iraq war, which is supposed to be the subject of "War Cut" (neat title, no?) though you'd be forgiven for not understanding this from the images themselves. Richter says he chose this date because it's like another momentous date in modern history. Can you guess which one?

THORN-PRIKKER Why did you use The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung?

RICHTER Because I have been reading it for 40 years.

THORN-PRIKKER Why March 20 and 21, 2003?

RICHTER The outbreak of war is the date that people remember. Just like the start of Hitler's war on Sept. 1, 1939. On the other hand, it seems to me that March 20-21 didn't have an impact comparable to, say, Sept. 11, 2001.

I was disgusted by Richter's comparison but felt vindicated in having seen his work for what it is.

Oh, and Happy 4th of July everybody.