2003

Reflection, 2003 30" x 360" Twelve panels, oil/wood, sandblasted glass, bolts After (l to r) Jean-Marc Nattier, Madame de Pompadour as Diana, 1748 Francois Boucher, Madame de Pompadour, 1759 Francois Boucher, Portrait of Madame de Pompadour Standing, c. 1750 Francois Boucher, Madame de Pompadour at her toilette, 1758 Francois Boucher, Madame de Pompadour, c.1750 Francois Boucher, Madame de Pompadour, c.1750 Francois Boucher, Apollo and Issa, 1750 Francois Boucher, Madame de Pompadour, 1756 Francois Boucher, The Toilette of Venus, 1751 Francois-Hubert Drouais, Madame de Pompadour with a Fur Muff, 1763 Francois Boucher, Madame de Pompadour seated outside, 1758 Jean-Marc Nattier, Madame de Pompadour as Diana, 1748 Text: my dependence, the wrong past, what I couldn't do, fear of a life cut short, my money worries, the calculating careerist I wish I could be, my desires, my passivity, dearest sister, neither Russian nor a Grandmother, nor a Yiddishe mama, my beloved
Reflection, 2003
30″ x 360″ twelve panels, oil/wood, sandblasted glass, bolts
After (l to r) Jean-Marc Nattier, Madame de Pompadour as Diana, 1748
Francois Boucher, Madame de Pompadour, 1759
Francois Boucher, Portrait of Madame de Pompadour Standing, c. 1750
Francois Boucher, Madame de Pompadour at her toilette, 1758
Francois Boucher, Madame de Pompadour, c.1750
Francois Boucher, Madame de Pompadour, c.1750
Francois Boucher, Apollo and Issa, 1750
Francois Boucher, Madame de Pompadour, 1756
Francois Boucher, The Toilette of Venus, 1751
Francois-Hubert Drouais, Madame de Pompadour with a Fur Muff, 1763
Francois Boucher, Madame de Pompadour seated outside, 1758
Jean-Marc Nattier, Madame de Pompadour as Diana, 1748
Text: my dependence, the wrong past, what I couldn’t do, fear of a life cut short,
my money worries, the calculating careerist I wish I could be, my desires,
my passivity, dearest sister, neither Russian nor a Grandmother,
nor a Yiddishe mama, my beloved
She was decorating, 2003 60" x 60" (153cm x 153cm), four panels, oil/wood, sandblasted glass, bolts After (l) Francois Boucher, The Bath of Venus, 1751, National Gallery of Art, Washington, (r) Francois Boucher, The Toilette of Venus, 1751, Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY "She was decorating" is based on two images MME de P commissioned from Francois Boucher for her bathroom at the Chateau de Bellevue (now destroyed), one of the many homes she built or decorated for herself and to encourage Louis to visit. Distortion of the two images suggests the way the two works might have appeared when seen in the corner of the bathroom from a single vantage point.
She was decorating, 2003
60″ x 60″ (153cm x 153cm), four panels, oil/wood, sandblasted glass, bolts
After (l) Francois Boucher, The Bath of Venus, 1751, National Gallery of Art, Washington, (r) Francois Boucher, The Toilette of Venus, 1751, Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY
“She was decorating” is based on two images Mme de Pompadour commissioned from Francois Boucher for her bathroom at the Chateau de Bellevue (now destroyed), one of the many homes she built or decorated for herself and to encourage Louis to visit. Distortion of the two images suggests the way the two works might have appeared when seen in the corner of the bathroom from a single vantage point.
SCENARIO, ("screenplay" in French) 60” x 90”, six panels each 30” x 30”, oil on wood, sandblasted glass, bolts, Lou=Louis XV, Jen=Jeanette Poisson (Mme de Pompadour), boiseries taken from Louis’ chambers in Versailles, image above the door by Francois Boucher, with Mme de Pompadour standing in for a mythological character, and the image in the mirror is of a secret door that led up to Mme de P’s apartments from his—if only the walls could talk!
SCENARIO (“screenplay” in French), 2003, 60” x 90”, six panels each 30” x 30”, oil on wood, sandblasted glass, bolts, Lou=Louis XV, Jen=Jeanette Poisson (Mme de Pompadour’s birth name), boiseries taken from Louis’ chambers in Versailles, image above the door by Francois Boucher, with Mme de Pompadour standing in for a mythological character, and the image in the mirror is of a secret door that led up to Mme de P’s apartments from his—if only the walls could talk!
En voila pour moi, en voici pour vous ("some for me, some for you") 60" x 60" (153cm x 153cm), oil/wood, sandblasted glass, bolts After details of three portraits of Mme de Pompadour by Francois Boucher and Carl van Loo, and a portrait of Manon Balletti by Jean-Marc Nattier (upper-right) TEXT: En voila pour moi, en voici pour vous [tr.: Some for me, some for you]
En voila pour moi, en voici pour vous (“some for me, some for you”) 60″ x 60″ (153cm x 153cm), oil/wood, sandblasted glass, bolts
After details of three portraits of Mme de Pompadour by Francois Boucher and Carl van Loo, and a portrait of Manon Balletti by Jean-Marc Nattier (upper-right)
TEXT: En voila pour moi, en voici pour vous [tr.: Some for me, some for you]
A bisl far mir, a bisl far dir, 60" x 30" (153cm x 76.5cm), diptych, oil/wood, sandblasted glass, bolts After Francois Boucher, "Les Genies des Arts" [tr.: Geniuses of the Arts], 1761 TEXT: A bisl far mir, a bisl far dir [tr.: Some for me, some for you] "A bisl far mir, a bisl far dir" refers to Mme de Pompadour commissioning art to please herself as well as the King as well as herself, and also to Aptekar using previous art--for you and for him. One can see in the image that the putti is making a painting of a sculpture, and Boucher has painted a painting-in-progress in his painting as well. The painting in progress behind the putti's is of Madame de Pompadour holding a profile portrait of Louis XV. The Yiddish provides a means of declaring the relevance of 18th French art for those of us for whom it was never intended (Jews in Poland, for one example--Pompadour's "competition" for the King's attention was a Polish girl, Queen Marie Leszinska).
A bisl far mir, a bisl far dir, 60″ x 30″ (153cm x 76.5cm), diptych, oil/wood, sandblasted glass, bolts
After Francois Boucher, “Les Genies des Arts” [tr.: Geniuses of the Arts], 1761
TEXT: A bisl far mir, a bisl far dir [tr.: Some for me, some for you]“A bisl far mir, a bisl far dir” refers to Mme de Pompadour commissioning art to please herself as well as the King, and also to Aptekar using previous art–for you and for him. One can see in the image that the putti is making a painting of a sculpture, and Boucher has painted a painting-in-progress in his painting as well. The painting in progress behind the putti’s is of Madame de Pompadour holding a profile portrait of Louis XV. The Yiddish provides a means of declaring the relevance of 18th French art for those of us for whom it was never intended (Jews in Poland, for one example–Pompadour’s “competition” for the King’s attention was a Polish girl, Queen Marie Leszinska).
Some for Me, Some for You, 60" x 90" (153cm x 229.5cm) six panels, oil/wood, sandblasted glass, bolts After (clockwise, from upper left) Francois Boucher, "La Chasse à l'oiseau et L'Horticulture" (Bird Hunting and Horticulture), Ornamental Panel Painting, c. 1751-1755 Jean-Marc Nattier, Madame Henriette en Flore" (Madame Henriette in Flowers), 1742 Edouard Manet, Still Life, c. 1882 Jean-Marc Nattier, Portrait of Manon Balletti, 1757 TEXT: some for me, some for you
Some for Me, Some for You, 60″ x 90″ (153cm x 229.5cm)
six panels, oil/wood, sandblasted glass, bolts
After (clockwise, from upper left)
Francois Boucher, “La Chasse à l’oiseau et L’Horticulture”
(Bird Hunting and Horticulture), Ornamental Panel Painting, c. 1751-1755
Jean-Marc Nattier, Madame Henriette en Flore” (Madame Henriette in Flowers), 1742
Edouard Manet, Still Life, c. 1882 Jean-Marc Nattier, Portrait of Manon Balletti, 1757
TEXT: some for me, some for you

A Shorter Encyclopedia: Folio Title Page, 22-1/2″ x 30″, digital print on Somerset Velvet, Edition of 20
TEXT: A Shorter Encyclopedia, Ken Aptekar, 2003, A series of digital prints inspired by the life of Madame de Pompadour and based upon l’Encyclopedie of Diderot & D’Alembert published in 1751 with the support of Madame de PompadourA Shorter Encyclopedia: How Love Endures, 22-1/2″ x 30″, digital print on Somerset Velvet, Edition of 20
TEXT: How Love EnduresA Shorter Encyclopedia: How One Day…, 22-1/2″ x 30″, digital print on Somerset Velvet, Edition of 20
TEXT: How One Day Follows Another

A Shorter Encyclopedia: What keeps everything…, 22-1/2″ x 30″, digital print on Somerset Velvet, Edition of 20
TEXT: What Keeps Everything from Coming ApartA Shorter Encyclopedia: Why Some Rise…, 22-1/2″ x 30″, digital print on Somerset Velvet, Edition of 20
TEXT: Why Some Rise and Others FallA Shorter Encyclopedia: Why the Winds Change, 22-1/2″ x 30″, digital print on Somerset Velvet, Edition of 20
TEXT: Why the Winds Change

Is having the answer better than looking for it? 60" x 30" (153cm x 76.5cm), oil/wood, sandblasted glass, bolts After Jean-Antoine Watteau, Four Studies of a Woman's Head and Two of a Seated Lady, c. 1717-1718 TEXT: Is having the answer better than looking for it?
Is having the answer better than looking for it? 60″ x 30″ (153cm x 76.5cm),
oil/wood, sandblasted glass, bolts
After Jean-Antoine Watteau, Four Studies of a Woman’s Head
and Two of a Seated Lady, c. 1717-1718
TEXT: Is having the answer better than looking for it?
Apollo & Daphne II: His Power..., 2003 140cm x 140cm, Four panels, oil/wood, sandblasted glass, bolts After Bernini, Apollo and Daphne, 1624, Galleria Borghese, Rome Picasso, Ma Jolie (Woman with a zither or guitar), 1911-12, MoMA, NY Hobbema (1638-1709), The Water Mill, undated, Louvre, Paris TEXT: His Power, Her Ingenuity, His Loss, Her Victory
Apollo & Daphne II: His Power…, 2003
140cm x 140cm,
Four panels, oil/wood, sandblasted glass, bolts
After Bernini, Apollo and Daphne, 1624, Galleria Borghese, Rome
Picasso, Ma Jolie (Woman with a zither or guitar), 1911-12, MoMA, NY
Hobbema (1638-1709), The Water Mill, undated, Louvre, Paris
TEXT: His Power, Her Ingenuity, His Loss, Her Victory
Apollo & Daphne I: Her Desire..., 2003 170cm x 140cm, Four panels, oil/wood, sandblasted glass, bolts After Bernini, Apollo and Daphne, 1624, Galleria Borghesi, Rome Cezanne, Le Pont de Mancy, 1882-85, Musee d'Orsay, TEXT: Her Desire, His Pursuit, Her Pleasures, His Arrogance
Apollo & Daphne I: Her Desire…, 2003
170cm x 140cm,
Four panels, oil/wood, sandblasted glass, bolts
After Bernini, Apollo and Daphne, 1624, Galleria Borghesi, Rome
Cezanne, Le Pont de Mancy, 1882-85, Musee d’Orsay,
TEXT: Her Desire, His Pursuit, Her Pleasures, His Arrogance
Some nice trees, 2003 70" x 70" (178 cm x 178 cm), Four panels, oil/wood, sandblasted glass, bolts After Meyndert Hobbema, Road on a Dyke, 1663 TEXT: I'm an artist. I wanted to paint some nice trees. Nature, you know. Can't anything just be what it is?
Some nice trees, 2003
70″ x 70″ (178 cm x 178 cm),
Four panels, oil/wood, sandblasted glass, bolts
After Meyndert Hobbema, Road on a Dyke, 1663
TEXT: I’m an artist. I wanted to paint some nice trees.
Nature, you know. Can’t anything just be what it is?