This summer Matt Mondanile, guitarist for Real Estate and solo project Ducktails, hosted Friday Flights at the Getty, where he played songs from his recently released album St. Catherine. Reminiscent of a sun-soaked afternoon daydream, St. Catherine’s groovy melodies refigure the narratives of artworks in our collection, creating a new and unexpected art experience.
1. Haters to the Left
The Song: “Killin’ the Vibe”
The Mood: Insert dramatic eye roll
The Art: Sass masters throwing shade at their haters
Don’t go killin, killin the vibe
I can’t take your lame style
Can’t you just sit a while
And try your hardest to smile
Bye, Felicia
Madonna and Child with Two Hermit Saints (detail), early 1480s, Bernardino Fungai
I Think They’re Making Fun of Our Friendship Turbans
Double Portrait (detail), about 1660–62, Michael Sweerts
The Plastics—“On Wednesdays, We Wear Gold Leaf”
Saint Francis and a Bishop Saint, Saint John the Baptist and Saint Dominic (detail), late 1420s, Fra Angelico
2. Somewhere Else
The Song: “Headbanging in the Mirror”
The Mood: Dazed and Distracted
The Art: People who are completely zoned out
Headbanging in the mirror
Wish I could see so much clearer
Just let me come down from this speedy
Afternoon interior dream
Did I Forget to Lock My Door This Morning?
Charles-François Pinceloup de la Grange (detail), 1747, Jean-Baptiste Perronneau
Literally Stuck in the Clouds
The Miracles of Saint Francis of Paola (detail), about 1627–28, Peter Paul Rubens
Pretending to Listen
After (detail), 1730–31, William Hogarth
3. Helpless Romantic
The Song: “Surreal Exposure”
The Mood: A high school musical comedy, where the nerd tries to impress the cheerleader
The Art: Unrequited love
Surreal exposure when you come over
It’s crimson and clover
Keep my composure
The One (Who’s Way Out of Your League)
Portrait of Leonilla, Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn (detail), 1843, Franz-Xaver Winterhalter
Trying to Look Casual
Portrait of James Christie (detail), 1778, Thomas Gainsborough
The Wingman
Rinaldo and the Mirror Shield (detail), Francesco Maffei
Comments on this post are now closed.