i'm not old enough for jeff koons
Monday, 9. October 2006, 17:13:17
I have a confession to make that will surprise no one who knows me.
I love modern and contemporary art.
I love the experimentation of the early 20th century, op-art, pop-art, expressionism, realism, the surrealists, art phtography, and am comfortable with the very abstract. From Braque to Magritte to Gerhard Richter. Although I find many (most, even) installations to be disappointing.
As yesterday was beautiful and sunny and pleasant, I went to two modern art museums. One, in an old bank building, containing mostly Norwegian artists, and the other, about a block away, houses various more international collections and touring exhibits in a well lit modern setting.
The former was interesting, and largely fell into well known schools. But there were a few real stand out pieces; the photography in particular was very striking.
The other museum was showing more well known artists like Cindy Sherman, Jeff Koons, and Matthew Barney (who did the Cremaster Cycle). This section was actually very well curated and organized but contained several of the Koons pieces that I have the most trouble with including the giant photos of him having sex with his ex-wife, former porn star and italian politician, Cicciolina. Ugh. That was lightened up by the statue of Michael Jackson and Bubbles done in the style of a Hindu deity. "Puppy" was definitely his best idea.
The Cindy Sherman's seemed somehow out of context and didn't have much impact on me. I think her work is more interesting when there's a lot of it together rather than one or two pictures in isolation that make it hard to see the larger pattern of what she's trying to do. and there was a nice assemblage piece by Damien Hirst that almost made up for the sliced cows.
However the bulk of the museum was given over to Charles Ray focussing on works in black and white. But they gave him too much space, most rooms had only one piece and they were often dwarfed by the space. It was interesting. I was very glad they had made a little newspaper style pamphlet about the exhibit because his work absolutely does not work unles you read about it and can see the titles, which were only on a hand out and not next to the art. For example "7.5 ton cube" is exactly that and without reading that the black cube is really filled with ink, an observer cannot see that it isn't simply a black cube.
But the space is good and it has a nice book shop and a reading room with Art in America and other english language art magazines, so I'll definitely be going back as exhibits change. I also like the plaque about HM the Queen, Sofia, having opened the museum a few years ago as I wondered what she might think of the mannequin with a penis and the half calf in formaldehyde.
As I went walking, to an apartment viewing quite some distance away, I noticed that all the buskers were playing accordians. There must have been a half dozen accordian players scattered through out downtown. Maybe the folk singers with guitars and jazz sax buskers had the afternoon off.
I love modern and contemporary art.
I love the experimentation of the early 20th century, op-art, pop-art, expressionism, realism, the surrealists, art phtography, and am comfortable with the very abstract. From Braque to Magritte to Gerhard Richter. Although I find many (most, even) installations to be disappointing.
As yesterday was beautiful and sunny and pleasant, I went to two modern art museums. One, in an old bank building, containing mostly Norwegian artists, and the other, about a block away, houses various more international collections and touring exhibits in a well lit modern setting.
The former was interesting, and largely fell into well known schools. But there were a few real stand out pieces; the photography in particular was very striking.
The other museum was showing more well known artists like Cindy Sherman, Jeff Koons, and Matthew Barney (who did the Cremaster Cycle). This section was actually very well curated and organized but contained several of the Koons pieces that I have the most trouble with including the giant photos of him having sex with his ex-wife, former porn star and italian politician, Cicciolina. Ugh. That was lightened up by the statue of Michael Jackson and Bubbles done in the style of a Hindu deity. "Puppy" was definitely his best idea.
The Cindy Sherman's seemed somehow out of context and didn't have much impact on me. I think her work is more interesting when there's a lot of it together rather than one or two pictures in isolation that make it hard to see the larger pattern of what she's trying to do. and there was a nice assemblage piece by Damien Hirst that almost made up for the sliced cows.
However the bulk of the museum was given over to Charles Ray focussing on works in black and white. But they gave him too much space, most rooms had only one piece and they were often dwarfed by the space. It was interesting. I was very glad they had made a little newspaper style pamphlet about the exhibit because his work absolutely does not work unles you read about it and can see the titles, which were only on a hand out and not next to the art. For example "7.5 ton cube" is exactly that and without reading that the black cube is really filled with ink, an observer cannot see that it isn't simply a black cube.
But the space is good and it has a nice book shop and a reading room with Art in America and other english language art magazines, so I'll definitely be going back as exhibits change. I also like the plaque about HM the Queen, Sofia, having opened the museum a few years ago as I wondered what she might think of the mannequin with a penis and the half calf in formaldehyde.
As I went walking, to an apartment viewing quite some distance away, I noticed that all the buskers were playing accordians. There must have been a half dozen accordian players scattered through out downtown. Maybe the folk singers with guitars and jazz sax buskers had the afternoon off.
I think you're absolutely right about Cindy Sherman. When you see her stuff all together, as it's meant to be shown, it puts you right in your place, but when it's just a piece or two of hers with a bunch of other people's work, she seems a bit drab.
Much as I hate that you're a million miles a way, it's great to have you blogging. Do you want to be linked?
By anonymous user, # 14. October 2006, 18:28:09
By balzac, # 14. October 2006, 19:19:55