24 October 2010

Close Encounters of the Artistic Kind

Artworks I've seen lately...

Auguste Rodin, Eve


Charles Ray, Plank Piece 1 and 2


Erwin Wurm, One Minute Sculptures



Hannah Wilke, S.O.S. Starification Object Series
(chewed gum! can you believe it?)


Jackson Pollock, Easter and the Totem



Charles Burchfield, Gateway to September


Heat Waves in a Swamp at the Whitney was the most inspiring exhibition I've seen in a very long time. It was a clear view into the mind of the curator, to me; it was so well put together, so meticulously organized and downright interesting that I could clearly see the curator's passion for the work through the very presentation of it. To the new viewer, I think the show was meant to accentuate Burchfield's awe-inspiring style and the interconnectedness of his life with his work (I definitely got that). The inclusion of his journals in the exhibit made the artist exponentially more present, especially because to me it's almost impossible to separate the artist from the work, most of the time. The quotes accompanying many paintings added such a richness and vitality to the viewing process, though the paintings alone were often rich and vital enough.

Google images does not do justice to Burchfield.



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