Patty Wickman Paints Women Wrestling and I’m All Hey that’s from Epcot
Saw this Patty Wickman painting last night at the super crowded opening for LA Weekly’s “Some Paintings” show. My friend and I immediately recognized the setting as a photograph of a model for a scene in the (now gone) Imagination ride at Epcot, sans Figment the dragon.
I’d probably get pissy about her using the work of vintage Disney Imagineering designers but I sort of blew my wad on Dan Colen earlier. What I can muster makes me say, “So Patty, why didn’t you just sculpt your own little set and use that as your source material? Because I highly doubt you meant to reference a Kodak-sponsored creativity pavilion when you painted ‘Struggle Garden’ in 1998.”
Meh, who cares but me anyway. Everyone else will think it’s from a Tord Boontje installation. His whole oeuvre seems inspired by that scene. Maybe that’s what both Patty and Tord are really saying - “Hey Disney, we liked the old Imagination ride, could you bring that back please.” 
January 13th, 2008 at 8:10 pm
Really enjoyed reading what you thought of the LA Weekly show last night. I didn’t bother fighting the crowds to see much of the rest of the art after seeing the nude fat guy wearing the crown in the main room while the “artist” was shouting at the audience and “painting” his likeness at the same time. Too gross for me!
I think your book sounds hilarious and wish you much success!
JOY