This was the explanations left by Rene of the works of art that will be used in this web-site. Dr Blank facilitated notes taken during his sessions with Rene and I supplied notes of the many interviews that I conducted with him.
Kieth Myeth.
What drove you to become such a controversial, irreverent and border line obnoxious artist?
There wasn’t a particular time or experience that I could pinpoint to say that this was the day or the reason why I became such a despicable person. I just wanted to be an artist creating with whatever was available to me. When I felt like drawing I drew, when I felt like playing with mud I played with mud and nobody bother me. It wasn’t until I found out that I could play with myself that the whole world around me started to get bent out of shape.
It all started when I lived in a neighborhood where there was no water at home and I had to carry it uphill for a distance of two blocks. Sometimes at three o’clock in the morning. There was this woman named Sofia with wide hips, narrow waist and breasts like my painting untitled "My First Supper."
Every time Sofia bent over to pick up her water can I could see just about everything that I wanted to see. As she placed the container on her head, water would spill, wet her blouse and make it transparent. As she walked away I could notice that water made her skirt transparent as well. I can still see the motion of those hips and the swaying of her ample bosom. I did not know what would I have done if she said to me “Go ahead”
I could not understand why Sofia had such a terrible reputation, all the other women would say terrible things about her. I was never courageous or old enough to become her friend but believe me when I tell you that I was deadly in love with her. One night I was dreaming about her and lightning hit me. Eros sent one of his magnificent emissaries to tell me that I had to wash my bed sheets before my mother found the solution that made me such a happy man. Eros’s messenger said “wipe that grin of your face”
From that moment on every time that I wanted to draw something, I had to abstain from drawing anything related to that experience that Sofia triggered. On close scrutiny it was revealed that Sofia had the same effect on a lot of men and that was the reason why the other women disliked her. My imagination has granted me more pleasure than reality, as a matter of fact reality is a drag. I could transport myself to places that no one could visit, because they existed only in my head. I could make love to any woman I wanted and if I were given the opportunity I would have thanked them for providing the visuals.
Sofia was not the controversial, irreverent and borderline obnoxious woman that the women in my neighborhood said she was. They were jealous, envious and that made them say the things they said. All throughout my life I had to defend myself and explain why would I create the things I created. It was as if they had the right to tell me which dreams I could paint. No one would listen when I told them that I had no control over the things that I dreamed about. They would accuse me and deny me the right to defend myself. I wanted to write a book about Sofia but it would never go beyond the shelves of a pornographic book store. Such a beautiful and innocent experience cannot be related to anyone because society says so.
EXPLANATION No.1
...Keith Myeth,
What drove you to become
such a controversial, irreverent and obnoxious artist?
My First Supper. Acrylic on Canvas
