The Vision Quest of Philip Curtis

What it boils down to, says Parkhurst, is an artist's ability "to touch upon the essential tendencies of thought in the period and place in which he works. Of course, the other part of the equation is whether that tendency of mind continues to coincide with the attitudes begetting the future, even as we speak." He says the ultimate verdict on Curtis' work is impossible to predict. But what's clear is "it comes with a definitive point of view and a steadfast vision."

"And when he gets it right," says Rand, "he's done something that nobody else has ever done. Not Tanguy. Not Magritte. Not Max Ernst. And certainly not any other American."

"A Procession: Paintings by Philip C. Curtis" continues through Sunday, January 4, 1998, at Arizona State University Art Museum at Nelson Fine Arts Center, 10th Street and Mill in Tempe. ASU's College of Fine Arts is holding a dinner and auction for the Curtis Graduate Fellowship on Saturday, October 25. For more details, see the Visual Art listing in Thrills.