After almost twenty years Tate returned to Barry Joule thousands of items he claimed belonged to the painter Francis Bacon : documents, sketches,watercolours…Is not very clear if Tate is doubtful about their authenticity or irritated about the lowsuit Joule is threating if the items will not show by the prestigious Modern Art Museum.
Question: After almost TWENTY YEARS they are still uncertain??how many centuries they would need to decide if someone should present to Tate a Leonardo da Vinci ? A personal note ,if l might. Barry Joule and I never liked each other let alone hated each other . To me he is the symbol of the many no one who took advantage of Bacon’s vulnerability. Francis Bacon vulnerable ?? yes because a part from to be the greatest painter of his time he was unable to do anything.
l m not talking only about to drive to use a mobile or to repair an electric sockets but even he was uncomfortable to go to a food store for basic necessities…. Just from seventies he was too famous and didn t like to be surrounded by a crowd of people so ‘ though Joule played to be one of his lovers (as a matter of fact the artist was a little disgusted by its wig Barry was bald )he became very important as handyman , moreover he was his neighbour . But the real problem (one of the problems )of what we can call “The Bacon ‘s Barry Joule archive” is that wasn t a present -as Joule sustains – was a theft ,a theft with dexterity at the limit ,or even better an undue abduction.
A part from the works Francis gave me (to be correct l must warn you that after l ve just won three trials for the drawings Francis gave me l m again under investigation in Italy …and endlessly Story !) his universal heir was his long time companion John Edwars Joule is not quoted in the wiil. As the ever best friend of John Edwards David Marion told me in a video interview in Venice which l still carefully preserve ” John was very angry with Joule.
As we all he thought that painter sayng” you know what to do ” meant destroy but anyhow belonged to John not to his gofer. He made many calls to have back that materials but Joule desappeared and unfortunately at that time poor John was just ill…” Against the tide and notwithstanding I m very close and affectionated to Edwards family I apprecciate I admire what Barry Joule have done because among an ocean of residual materials (not to say garbage ) shine some precious gems.
The fact that Joule not unlikely had manipulated many or some items does not exclude that Bacon’s helpful gallop saved some masterpieces deservedly even against the painter’s will or (by me beloved )Edwards family which maybe couldn t be aware that among scrowls, scrippled silly items, a section was important. But let me please explore another understated deep roof of the Joule archive . It doesn’t matter if some parts of the Archive are counterfeits or originals.
I mean.Many items are composed by photograps or newspapers books pages…the most of these things are retouched with a kind of scretches grill or by flickering lines…like had been traced by a child.
Had been manipulated (THESE items )by Barry Joule ? Their value is nothing.Had surprisingly been done by Francis Bacon himself ?their value is nothing the same.
Egual for many pages stained generally by a mono color…kind of blot non certainly a creative work. A scrowl Is a scrowl a blot Is a blot even if done by Francis Bacon . BUT….but that doesn t describe the entire Barry Joule’s archive . Some masterpieces – as written – are shining in this Archive and Is bewildering not to say upsetting the many -I suppouse – Tate ‘s scholars and experts didn t notice.
To start for instance with the “Fold out drawing of Michael Leiris head ” It s so extraordinary to be comparable with ML’ s oil portrait which many think It s his best portrait ever.And what about the Blue Baboon screaming (l guess brush strokes on paper ) comparable as well with his absolute screaming animal masterpiece on canvas ?and “Waving man and penis ” ? In the reality a kind of terribile superb Crucifixion with a flat frantic Christ not totally human…what a pity he didn t make a canvas inspired by that sketch….but the more important section Is the abstract .
Yes because is not very known but Francis begun as..abstract painter ! All works refused and destroyed except this precious fascinating section saved by his neighbour . L’ook at “Face and hand with fruit ” or ” Hand with bowler hat “a kind of beautiful organic abstractionism about which people doesn t know nothing .
Well dear friends of the Tate l don t think Barry Joule is a stylish gentleman but how desagree with his pissed off.
