S+ART

An Exhibition of ‘Timeless Modernity’ at the Hirshhorn

 A Response to An escapist exhibition firmly about escapism by Philip Kennicott

 

Is it not difficult to see with eyes closed or clearly think when the mind is looking for “tricks, illusions, and amusement rides?” It is equally difficult to define time (birth, growth, death, and rebirth), design, or its art as “merely dates, time lost [and] meaningless time.” Are each of us not ‘living’ Fragments in time and space? Like the questions of life, answers behind an exhibition’s conceptual design are not freely given to take. One must give many moments to ask questions, purge, and analyze details such as: structural design, the exhibition’s concept, its integration with art works displayed, and reoccurring themes in relation to the overall composition.

This exhibition is intended to be viewed in accordance to the natural cycles of life simultaneously with the surrounding natural world and universe, which is continuing and infinite.  Douglas Gordon's video installment "Play Dead; Real Time," 2003 displays one living elephant in white open space. The elephant is filmed in rotation while it stands, breaths, and plays dead, and then comes back to life. There is a beginning and an end to the cycles of life in the ways we perceive time but life continues, changes and evolves—it is timeless.

 

Five Past Eleven, 1989 by Ed Ruscha, Hirshhorn, Smithsonian 

In order to achieve this concept in a composition of multiple works, there must be a repetitive infused meaning between the space, place, visual design and symbolic message presented. The concept of Fragments in Time and Space as a ‘timeless modernity’ is in perfect union with the Hirshhorn Museum’s circulatory architectural design reiterating ‘constant’, ‘cyclical’, and ‘infinite’.  Ed Ruscha’s “Five Past Eleven” begins the exhibit with a partially shown, sleek man-made time-piece urging all to break time in the way individuals perceive it. Only then can one understand the ‘longevity’ of the surrounding natural world.  In design, as time continues, it is pertinent that the development of a piece of artwork continues to evolve. This exhibition proves the objective of creating a “timeless” design.

 

The goal of the designer in collaboration with the client (artist) is to maintain a relationship with the preexisting structure (Hirshhorn) and enclose it with a refreshed movement of space based on a composed context, design, and meaning in each piece. The structural design of the Hirshhorn features: original spaces, walls, pathways, and an outer and inner circle. In creating or designing an exhibition around the structural design, the meaning must be a direct reflection of the space and place its set in.

 

The exhibition’s concept literally rotates in a circulation of curves interchanging with stops and pauses in forced clock-wise continuation just as the earth rotates, sun and moon rise, and the reason time is perceived like so.

In this unique design, the outer circle is closed to the outside world—dark and windowless.

Meanwhile, dark spaces are accentuated by animated installations, films and videos that are vibrant and full of natural life and elements; timeless and continuing through perceived time.  In the natural world, some elements were here at the beginning and will be here at the end; they will fight through the billions of cycles of time. Hiroshki Sugimoto’s thirteen archetypal seascapes powerfully exemplify the ocean and its adjoining horizon in its infinite mystery, with no beginning and no end.                                                                              

The inner circle is opposite the outer circle yet intertwined as one. The real art is the exposure of light and the living world through large windows which is only accentuated by natural elements harnessed by man in the form of sculpture like the “Kantian box of space” and water.  This opposite and interlocking rotation between the two circles engages fusion between the inside and outside elements seamlessly to create a composition of “timeless” works.

 

In doing this, pieces of artwork and a site are separately renewed given the opportunity to evolve through constant development and perspective in association with inevitable change in time, place, and culture creating an Exhibition of ‘Timeless Modernity’.

 

~Matt Weiler

Tips on Drawing

    Drawing is what I believe to be one of the foundations for all other artmaking.Improving your drawing can really inform and shape the rest of your artwork. One can do a quick sketch, mulitple poses or drawings in a short period of time, or a more refined study in a longer sitting. Rarely what is in your head can be translated onto paper without a lot of practice. While drawing can be relaxing it can also be utterly terrifying; especially for those just beginning or for those who are a little rusty. The large expanse of white paper can be daunting. So here are some musings to get your pencil, charcoal, or pastel going.

    Many people, not all, want to be able to just draw without warming up their hands. My hands need warming up and so does my brain. After doing something not related to art for most of my day I need to transition my mind and my hands into the creative side of my brain. Begin with quick 30 second sketches, drawing quick lines and shapes to get the "feel" for what you are drawing. Loosen up and bring your focus to your drawing. While you are doing this you are mapping out the figure or object, if you are drawing the figure take note of where the hand might be in relation to the other hand or the hip, the angle of the body, positioning of the feet and so on. Become familiar with what you are drawing. Move from 30 second sketches to four or five minutes poses, still being loose in your drawing, with no real detailing of the subject, but trying to capture the full body or form of what you are trying to draw. Next, create a few five minute studies or poses, then move to a longer study of twenty to thirty minutes. 

 

 

     While the video recommends certain pencils and materials I recommend starting with a grade H or HB pencil. These lighter lines created by the H or HB are more forgiving and mistakes can be corrected. Expressive (darker) lines can be added as you become more satifisied with the rendering of your subject using a 4B or 6B pencil.

    Many struggle with creating the "perfect drawing," specifically when just beginning. Who doesn't want to be the master draftsman like Da Vinci,Tiepolo, and Michelangelo? When I initially started drawing the figure my proportions were usually cartoonish. An invaluable suggestion from my drawing teacher was to  stop looking down at my paper. LOOK at what you are drawing. When one stops focusing on the drawing and starts focusing on the subject in front of us we usually become more accurate. Imagine that!

    Do not worry about capturing every single detail while drawing especially if you are a beginner or have not picked up a pencil in a while. Really look at your subject and decide which details to capture that represent your figure or subject best and are necessary in order to convey what you are drawing. For example, when just beginning to work from the figure it is not necessary to capture every fingernail but to correctly capture the position of the hand. Try to capture those essential areas and then decide whether or not you want more detail if time and patience allows. As you are finishing the shape, contour, and positiong of your subject(s) begin to think about shading and the light on your subject. Take note of the light, which direction it is coming from, be consistent with the direction,and make sure to be multi-tonal, adding varience in the shading, not just making the drawing black and white. By adding shading a drawing can quickly transform from being flat to three dimensional.

For some more useful tips this website was very informative as well: http://www.goshen.edu/art/ed/shading.html

     This last video is not really about "how to draw" but more about finding your inspiration and still trying to have fun while drawing!

 

  So keep practicing! 

 -Patricia Burns-

Goings On

Party Crashers at Artisphere
Comic Book Culture Invades the Art World
Through Sunday, February 13, 2011

  

A collaborative exhibition between Artisphere and the Arlington Arts Center. The exhibit at Artisphere in the Terrace Gallery, examines the ways in which comic art's influence is evident in the pieces and working methods of fine artists. Bold black lines, flat expanses of solid color, sequential storytelling and the joining of literature and imagery are common facets of artworks made today. Whether consciously or unconsciously, fine artists co-opt this powerful pop culture idiom's history, formal elements and narrative devices to tell their own stories.
The sister exhibit at the Arlington Arts Center features the work of alternative comic artists, including published works, original pages and pieces in a variety of media made specifically for the gallery.
Exhibiting Artists:  D. Billy (NYC); iona rozeal brown (NY/DC); Eric Cheevers (DC); Anna U. Davis (DC); Nekisha Durrett (DC); Jim Houser (PA); Tim Kerr (TX); Matt Leines (PA); Thom Lessner (PA); Ryan Nelson (MI); Oura Sananikone (VA); Zach Storm (DC/MD).
Curator:   Cynthia Connolly

Terrace Gallery @ Artisphere
1101 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22209
Free parking after 6 pm & weekends
703-875-1100
For more information visit the Arlington Arts Event Details site.

 

“And She Was” —
Photographs by Gayle Rothschild
Through Sunday, February 6, 2011.
Gallery hours: open when JCCGW is open

 
Gayle Rothschild

In her photography, Gayle Rothschild's interest is in keeping a record of the day, observing contemporary life. Although her work is personal, the issues addressed are universal: concern for family, religion, growing up and growing old. It is mostly guided by her role as a Jewish woman in today's society. Her ongoing series of black and white portraits of friends and family now includes a complete series of portraits of her parents which began in memory of her mother. Additionally, her current work is a series of computer-generated images of scanned and photographed objects that are both familiar and abstract. [text from Culture Capital]

For more information visit the JCCGW Goldman Art Gallery website.

Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington
6125 Montrose Road
Rockville, MD 20852
301-881-0100 phone

 

Evenings at the TM: Loosening the Knot - Contemporary Ikat
Lecture by artist Polly Barton

 
image from www.textilemuseum.org

Join us at The Textile Museum for Evenings at the TM, a series of evening lectures inspired by the current exhibition "Colors of the Oasis: Central Asian Ikats." Learn more about the textiles and traditions of Central Asian cultures from visiting lecturers then enjoy light refreshments and music as you mingle with fellow attendees. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the lecture begins at 6 p.m.

On Thursday, January 13, the TM welcomes Santa Fe-based artist Polly Barton. During her 30 years of weaving silk ikat on Japanese kimono looms, she has brought a modern, painterly approach to this ancient dyeing technique. Her lecture will illustrate how she has developed and adapted this tradition and how ikat has in turn pushed her to grow as an artist. [text from Culture Capital]

Thursday, January 13, 2011 @ 6:00 pm
Advance registration required; space is limited
Call (202) 667-0441, ext. 64 to register.
Fee: $20/members; $25/non-members

The Textile Museum
2320 S Street, NW
Washington, DC 20008

 

Allison Recht

Goings On: Some Museum Exhibits Besides the Outdoor Events

The weather is still going to be gorgeous this weekend, in the mid 60’s so I am not trying to stop anyone from enjoying the weather and this beautiful time of year, but there are always things going on at the museums and they are constantly changing.

 
At the National Gallery of Art, to continue my week of Spanish art, there is an exhibit called The Sacred Made Real: Spanish Painting and Sculpture, 1600-1700.  Now this was way before Goya’s time and is a more religious view of art.  They are arrestingly real sculptures and paintings of the saints, the Immaculate Conception, and the Passion of Christ shown through 20 Spanish masterpieces of the 1600s view.  Some of the major paintings are by Diego Velazquez, Francisco de Zurbaran and many others.  Many of the sculptures have never been exhibited away from the Spanish churches, convents and monasteries.  The exhibit runs from February 28, 2010 to May 31, 2010, so catch it before it is gone!

 
Another exhibit that caught my eye is at The Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum.  It is an interesting exhibit and one that is different from most others.  The African Presence in Mexico: From Yanga to the Present.  It is a traveling exhibit that examines the history, culture and art of Afro-Mexicans, and beings in the colonial era and continues to the present day.  Highlights of the exhibition include discussions of African slavery in Mexico and the hero/slave rebel Yanga along with artifacts related to the traditions and popular culture of Afro-Mexicans and paintings, masks, photography, and other works of art.  Even if you just want to learn more about Yanga a hero of the time, there are many pieces of him and about him, telling his heroic story.  The exhibit runs from November 9, 2009-July 4, 2010, and would be a great way to learn something new you might not of known much about.

 
Another exhibit going on at the National Gallery of Art is The Robert and Jane Meyerhoff Collection: Selected Works.  Their collection provides a new way to tell the story of postwar American art through remarkable acuity, exhaustive study and close relationships with the artists, the Meyerhoffs amassed one of the most outstanding collections of modern art, with an emphasis on six American masters: Jasper Johns, Ellsworth Kelly, Roy Lichtenstein, Brice Marden, Robert Rauschenberg and Frank Stella.  The exhibit consists of some 126 paintings, sculptures, drawings and prints.  The exhibit runs from October 1, 2009-May 2, 2010.  All three exhibits are completely different and I hope one appeals to you if you’re looking to escape the crowds.

Friday Feature: Falnama

The following is an article from the Washington Post on the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery's current exhibit, Falnama: The Book of Omens.

 

 

Middle Eastern pages look toward heaven--and the future

By Blake Gopnik

Washington Post Staff Writer

Sunday, October 25, 2009

 

Now the NEA has to give more money to art. Not only do fine pictures civilize us and bring us solace, but it turns out they can predict the future and point us to good investments -- and away from dangerous little men with squints.

That, at least, would have been the view of Persian shahs and Ottoman sultans and viziers, circa 1600. You could say they were their cultures' own NEA, funding the deluxe books of fortunetelling pictures known as Falnamas. Pages from three of the four volumes that survive are now on display in a fabulous show called "Falnama: The Book of Omens" that opened Saturday at the Smithsonian's Sackler Gallery. (The fourth, more fragile Falnama stayed at home in a university library in Dresden.)

Thanks to Sackler curator Massumeh Farhad and co-curator Serpil Bagci, a professor in Ankara, these books have been brought together for the first time, in the first survey of the Falnama genre.

The idea behind these picture books was simple: You opened them to a random painting, then looked to the text on the facing page to see what the image revealed about the fate of whatever project you had in mind -- maybe you wanted to find out if marriage was a good idea, or if a business venture was timely. If you opened to "Imam Riza Saves the Sea People" -- one of the more obscure Islamic legends illustrated in these books, alongside their more standard images from the Bible, the Koran and the zodiac -- you would discover that things augur well for ocean voyages, especially if you give alms and say prayers. Open the book to a brilliant image of the sun, and the future looks bright -- so long as you avoid that "sallow-faced, short man with a defect on his head or eye." But if you open to a scene of the Apocalypse, shown to Muslims for the first time in these Falnama illustrations, you'd best postpone all projects and stay home and be devout.

There's nothing all that unusual about the acts of divination the Falnama is in aid of. The bibliomancy of the Falnama is part of an almost universal fortunetelling habit, which in the Islamic world also included horoscope-casting and reading the future from verses of the Koran.

With the Falnama, fortunetelling may even have been a communal pastime. The pictures in the Sackler show are so big and bold, compared with the so-called "Persian miniatures" that came before them, that it's easier to imagine several people viewing them at once than a single person taking private pleasure in them. Farhad believes the Falnama paintings were so splashily successful that they became the source for later illustrations in the Islamic world that weren't used for augury.

That points to the one thing that makes the Falnama stand out from other divination tools: For some reason, the finest of fine art helped it do its job. That's a stranger fact than it may seem. After all, stick figures or crude sketches could have carried the same content as the glorious paintings now on show at the Sackler, and sent the same messages about future events. There's something about art that seems to lend power to the content it reveals.

Maybe that's partly because it reveals that content more completely and convincingly. It's one thing to know that the Persian poet Sa'di traveled through China disguised as a monk, and so got to reveal the earthly machinery behind a miraculously animated idol. It's another when the great Turkish painter Naksi Bey shows him to us dolled up in a glorious red robe with gold embroidery, Chinese-style. (He got his inspiration from an actual Chinese painting still preserved in Istanbul.)

Or maybe the fine art is there because anything worth doing is worth doing well. If we care about our bibliomancy, that is, we ought to care about every detail that goes into it, including the brilliance of the watercolor pigments in our images and the quantity of gold they get embellished with. The art needs to be good simply to allow for good augury. Through a kind of process of contagion, one good thing begets another, so that a brilliantly painted image of Hippocrates, the Greek thinker at the roots of Western and Islamic medicine, will also guarantee a successfully predicted future. This is more or less the standard view in today's art history: That art serves other, more important social functions.

But there's one other possibility: That the function serves the art. It could be that making stunning pictures of interesting things -- of our gods and favorite people and myths and legends -- is as important to us as anything else we do, even though we can't say why. So we come up with elaborate functional trappings for our love of pictures, to help it make sense. If we're Ottoman sultans, we tell ourselves that the huge pictorial anthologies we love so much aren't just pointless piles of images -- we peer at them because we have to, to know what's best to do.

One of the most notable things about many cultures, Islam included, is their discomfort with the strange power images have over us. This led some Muslim cultures to ban all picturemaking, but even the Persians and Turks who loved their art still worried about it. Several pictures in the Falnama warn against idolatry: That was the point of the Sa'di page with its false mechanical idol, which was the first sheet in its volume. A page from a different volume portrays a scene it labels the Azure Monastery. We're not quite sure what the subject is, but it includes a bunch of Christians paying too much heed to their religious art.

The best pages of the Falnama revel in the joys of imagery and decoration. They even revel in its excesses, making sure that every inch of every narrative has incident packed into it and that even margins are filled with stunning tracery. It's almost as though, by going overboard in their love of pictures, these books want to tempt fate, and so make it reveal itself.

Falnama: The Book of Omens Through Jan. 24 at the Smithsonian's Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, on the south side of the Mall at 10th St. SW. Call 202-633-1000 or visit http://www.asia.si.edu.