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Blurry Oil Paintings of Drunken Cab Rides

By Caroline Stanley on
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We discovered work of Poland-born, New York-based artist Alexandra Pacula over on Animal NY; looking at her blurry oil paintings — which are intended to recreate the “wonder and disorientation” of urban nightlife — is like riding around the city in a speeding cab after having a drink (or ten drinks) too many. “I concentrate on how the mind perceives and evaluates surroundings while under the influence of a social climate,” she explains. “I want the viewer’s eye to travel within my composition and experience a familiar exhilarating event of an actual nightly excursion.” Minus the hangover, naturally. Click through to check out a gallery of Pacula’s work.


Alexandra Pacula, Ardent Phenomenon, 2008. Oil on canvas. 108 X 84 inches

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[...] Flavorwire » Blurry Oil Paintings of Drunken Cab RidesJan 19, 2011 … We discovered work of Poland-born, New York-based artist Alexandra Pacula over on Animal NY; looking at her blurry oil paintings — which are … [...]

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[...] 28. Finally, have you ever wondered what it’s like to be drunk in the back of a NYC cab? Artist Alexandra Pacula does a great job of summing up the experience with oil on canvas. [Flavorwire] [...]

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Meh... These are nothing more than motion blur photos faithfully copied in paint. Granted they might be a little bit interesting (albeit unoriginal) as photos, but what's the point of copying them? Does anybody really think that paint on canvas legitimizes the imagery? If they do, they're wrong. Let the art be the photos.

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technically masterful, neons, amazing. aesthetically alluring, but yes, the subject matter? or the titles? are a bit on the elitist side. but it's art, so what's most important? that you realized something like that- that you appreciate that it made you realize something like that- or that it just appeals to the eye? to some, it only matters if the price will appreciate- c'est la vie, que pouvez-vous faire?

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@Sami - If you look at the next painting, of the cyclist, it's titled "Budget." It's definitely meant to be funny.

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As someone who has always found drunken cab rides to be beautifully romantic, I was at first immediately attracted by these paintings. Indeed they are quite beautiful. But then I realized, "Wait, this is just a celebration of what Manhattan has become: a drunken playground for rich douchebags!" My fear was confirmed when I saw the two paintings, one titled "Luxury," depicting a blurry limousine, and the next titled "Economy," this one of a taxi cab. Only the disgustingly wealthy, the types that have essentially ruined Manhattan, could consider a yellow cab as an "economical" choice. Maybe the artist is being ironic. Even so, it doesn't matter. These paintings clearly are aestheticizing an activity enjoyed primarily by a wealthy elite while the public transportation that the poorer people of this city rely on has been drastically cut.

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  1. Guest of a Guest | Rachelle’s Reading List, Wednesday, January 19th, 2011 says:
    January 19, 2011 at 6:49 pm

    [...] 28. Finally, have you ever wondered what it’s like to be drunk in the back of a NYC cab? Artist Alexandra Pacula does a great job of summing up the experience with oil on canvas. [Flavorwire] [...]

  2. Blured paintings | FianlPriceCars.co.cc says:
    March 2, 2011 at 12:15 am

    [...] Flavorwire » Blurry Oil Paintings of Drunken Cab RidesJan 19, 2011 … We discovered work of Poland-born, New York-based artist Alexandra Pacula over on Animal NY; looking at her blurry oil paintings — which are … [...]