donatefr
Back to Start

Blue Book #8, 1989

Composite image of a tall, skinny book by Greg Curnoe. On the left is the cover, coloured in a solid light blue, with the number 8 in a black circle above the name GREG CURNOE in all caps. Beside the cover is one of the interior pages featuring stamped sans-serif text with spacious line spacing on white paper.

Greg Curnoe, (left) Cover of Blue Book #8; (right) Interior of Blue Book #8, p. 49, stamp pad ink on paper, 16 x 36 cm, Toronto: Art Metropole, 1989.

Words were important both in Curnoe’s works and as an extension of his art practice. In addition to four periodicals, he produced one-of-a-kind books, intended as works of art, recording his daily thoughts and observations. Perhaps the best known is Blue Book #8, which was published by Art Metropole in 1989. In it, Curnoe defined himself negatively, noting 797 times what he was not, ending with “I AM NOT USUALLY PARANOID, GOD’S GIFT TO WOMEN, ILLITERATE, REFUNDABLE, UNDER WARRANTY, COOL, APPALLED, WISE, ALWAYS TRUTHFUL.”

Gallery

Pop art-style painting by Greg Curnoe of a figure, mid-stride, facing left. Areas are painted in solid colours (bright yellow, orange, red, blue, and black) except for the Tweed coat the figure is wearing which is a busy pattern made with small strokes of blue, green, and yellow. The text “LOVE DOESN’T LAST VERY LONG BUT THINKING ABOUT IT DOES” appears across the top of the frame and, lower down, "CHRIST THE BLACKHAWKS," "BLUE OF THE ZENITH," and "MARY WORTH."

Myself Walking North in the Tweed Coat, 1963

Photograph of a piece by Greg Curnoe. Seen from above, a wooden drawer with weathered white paint holds a collection of small objects, bottles, and notes on yellowed paper.

Drawer Full of Stuff, 1961

Photograph of a mural by Greg Curnoe. Along a long wall, a zeppelin is deconstructed into flat shapes and painted with bright colours and stripes. Faces gaze out of the windows of the gondolas and round metal propellers are installed in front of circles painted to look like they're in motion.

Homage to the R 34, October 1967–March 1968

Photograph of five works by Greg Curnoe hung in a row on a white gallery wall. The square works alternate between having solid red and blue backgrounds. Black text is stamped on top, including the messages “CANADA ALWAYS LOSES!” and “CLOSE THE 49th PARALLEL ETC.”

The True North Strong and Free, #1–5, 1968

Composite image of a tall, skinny book by Greg Curnoe. On the left is the cover, coloured in a solid light blue, with the number 8 in a black circle above the name GREG CURNOE in all caps. Beside the cover is one of the interior pages featuring stamped sans-serif text with spacious line spacing on white paper.

Blue Book #8, 1989

Photograph of a wide painting by Greg Curnoe depicting a hospital surrounded by a field, trees, houses, and a blue sky. The scene is rendered in a flat style in bright colours. Circled numbers dot the work and are placed throughout the piece on top of the trees, buildings, and sky.

View of Victoria Hospital, Second Series, February 10, 1969–March 10, 1971

Watercolour painting by Greg Curnoe of a side-view of a bright yellow bicycle on a light blue background. The text "CLOSE THE 49th PARALLEL ETC" is written on the top tube of the bike's frame. The blue seen between the wheel spokes is different shades, appearing like two faceted jewels.

Mariposa 10 Speed No. 2, 1973

Ink drawing by Greg Curnoe of an outline of North America drawn on yellowed paper. The United States is taken out and Canada and Mexico share a border, divided by a dotted line. Countries and islands are labelled in bold black text written in all caps.

Map of North America, 1972

Painting by Greg Curnoe of stamped black text on a blue watercolour background. The stacked text reads "Paleo-Indians, Archaic Culture, Woodland Culture, Attawandaron, abandoned, Ojibwa, No.2" and is stricken with thin red horizontal lines.

Deeds #5, August 19–22, 1991

Pop art-style painting by Greg Curnoe of a figure, mid-stride, facing left. Areas are painted in solid colours (bright yellow, orange, red, blue, and black) except for the Tweed coat the figure is wearing which is a busy pattern made with small strokes of blue, green, and yellow. The text “LOVE DOESN’T LAST VERY LONG BUT THINKING ABOUT IT DOES” appears across the top of the frame and, lower down, "CHRIST THE BLACKHAWKS," "BLUE OF THE ZENITH," and "MARY WORTH."

Myself Walking North in the Tweed Coat, 1963

Photograph of a piece by Greg Curnoe. Seen from above, a wooden drawer with weathered white paint holds a collection of small objects, bottles, and notes on yellowed paper.

Drawer Full of Stuff, 1961

Photograph of a mural by Greg Curnoe. Along a long wall, a zeppelin is deconstructed into flat shapes and painted with bright colours and stripes. Faces gaze out of the windows of the gondolas and round metal propellers are installed in front of circles painted to look like they're in motion.

Homage to the R 34, October 1967–March 1968

Photograph of five works by Greg Curnoe hung in a row on a white gallery wall. The square works alternate between having solid red and blue backgrounds. Black text is stamped on top, including the messages “CANADA ALWAYS LOSES!” and “CLOSE THE 49th PARALLEL ETC.”

The True North Strong and Free, #1–5, 1968

Composite image of a tall, skinny book by Greg Curnoe. On the left is the cover, coloured in a solid light blue, with the number 8 in a black circle above the name GREG CURNOE in all caps. Beside the cover is one of the interior pages featuring stamped sans-serif text with spacious line spacing on white paper.

Blue Book #8, 1989

Photograph of a wide painting by Greg Curnoe depicting a hospital surrounded by a field, trees, houses, and a blue sky. The scene is rendered in a flat style in bright colours. Circled numbers dot the work and are placed throughout the piece on top of the trees, buildings, and sky.

View of Victoria Hospital, Second Series, February 10, 1969–March 10, 1971

Watercolour painting by Greg Curnoe of a side-view of a bright yellow bicycle on a light blue background. The text "CLOSE THE 49th PARALLEL ETC" is written on the top tube of the bike's frame. The blue seen between the wheel spokes is different shades, appearing like two faceted jewels.

Mariposa 10 Speed No. 2, 1973

Ink drawing by Greg Curnoe of an outline of North America drawn on yellowed paper. The United States is taken out and Canada and Mexico share a border, divided by a dotted line. Countries and islands are labelled in bold black text written in all caps.

Map of North America, 1972

Painting by Greg Curnoe of stamped black text on a blue watercolour background. The stacked text reads "Paleo-Indians, Archaic Culture, Woodland Culture, Attawandaron, abandoned, Ojibwa, No.2" and is stricken with thin red horizontal lines.

Deeds #5, August 19–22, 1991

Blue Book #8 - Art Canada