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Alibis
In 2014, I went to see the Sigmar Polke exhibition “Alibis” at MoMA. It was my second time visiting as I really loved the show. I even bought the book, which is rare for me.
There was an enormous amount of large work in the exhibition and hung in a salon style. While approaching each piece with thoughtful attention I came upon a tiny photograph of two young men wearing Speedos. I immediately thought i used to wear a speedo! I might have even said it out loud. As I looked closely at the image, I noticed a few orange mushrooms drawn at the bottom corner reminding me of my youthful experiences in California. This picture could have been easily overlooked by most viewers. It paled in size to the gigantic paintings screaming for the spotlight. But my nostalgia to the subject held my attention for an unusual amount of time.
While digesting my reaction, feelings of regret surfaced for not being more confident when I had a young body as I swam laps at the public pool in Sierra Madre, California. A few years later, when I moved to NYC, I would take up swimming at the McBurney YMCA. It’s hard to believe I actually swam laps
Sigmar Polke