Art Galleries: February 2009

Saturday, February 28, 2009

George Ohr Museum

The George Ohr Museum--O'Keefe a local business man I was told talked Frank Geary into designing a Museum for Biloxi. It is amazing, should be great. It will probably be washed away once more.

Geary has one part formed like it already was swept away! And up into a tree!

Gee's Bend, Alabama

We were going in search of these but it seems they are on tour.

A Picasso in Philadelphia

Never know what will strike one.

Brice Marden hanging in place of Cezanne's Bathers

I wasn't allowed to take a picture of the Marden in its place but well that is my pet peeve.

I use these photos to think and when told I cant take a picture--

The Philadelphia Museum is filled with well, Pennsylvanians-- they look as if they have never been in a Museum. Then no you can't take a picture!. It is all so precious.

Anyway the Marden looks magnificent and I guess if one is an artist that revers such art as Cezanne then one might someday hang in such a position!

The show I didn't see it-- one of those blockbuster 25 dollarextravaganzas-- I took a tour of the older galleries they are great.

Time to ask who is benefiting from these type shows.

Philadelphia Museum of Art

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Something about Belief and Disbelief

I went to see David Salle speak at the NY Studio School. He said something like the following, "one had to believe and disbelieve at the same time and hold them both in ones head at the same time, that that was the game. "

I then went to see the Bonnard show at the MET. The surface of the paintings are such that one wants to believe they represent reality. Their awkwardness represent an authenticity and sincerity. Interesting to hold Matisse in ones head at the same time.

I went back to the Studio School to hear three critics and Graham Nickson talk then about Bonnard at the MET.

The critics sounded as disbelieving commentators, they were not to be fooled by the questioning brush parading as authenticity.

Graham knowing the art intimately was very passionate and undeterred as an artist, and believer, and came through as the most interesting.

So tonight I went to see Susan Rothenberg, and was surprised to see all this play out. Wonderful I thought how she can believe and disbelieve at the same time. Her puppets have a life that keeps a contemporary distance but dances with the pathos art has always had.