When it comes to Soutine the real attention grabber is his use of paint. One critic described it as trying to “turn the substance of the world into thick, squidgy, excited paint”. Thoroughly modern, but not easily categorised, Soutine is widely influential among artists but lacks public recognition. Hold the art theory suggests the writer, “only look”. More images are here
Catholicism, says an archbishop, is as much about beauty as goodness. This rationale has inspired an immense show tracing the influence of church regalia on contemporary fashion. The show is careful, respectful – “these designers are sometimes rule breakers [but] not apostates”. The current Pope’s aversion to ostentation goes unremarked. A video (5 min) is here.
Compared with Jerry Saltz’s recent blast, a more moderate perspective. Art fairs offer global reach and new influences, but galleries remain central to the art eco-system. Galleries should continue to “work with a group of artists and grow with them. [A]rt deserves spaces that are less fleeting than fairs. In the galleries, we can create memorable happenings”.
Kirkeby came to prominence in the 1980’s when, together with German expressionists such as Baselitz, he helped revitalize painting. His works reflected the naturalist traditions of Nordic art and an early career dalliance with geology. One critic writes that Kirkeby “achieve[d] what many post-war painters have tried, coaxing abstraction and representation into uneasy but perpetual balance.”
New York was the centre of the 1950’s art world but a new memoir champions the achievements of post-war London. Francis Bacon was the central figure who “revolutionized how proceeding artists would handle paint”. The legacy of this period is “the survival of the medium of paint itself [which has proven capable of] taking on a multitude of different approaches”.
The Tate wanted to show how art and photography have influenced each other. A photography-inclined critic likes the resulting exhibition. Not the above writer – too many photos and the comparisons mostly favour paintings. A Mondrian painting is “richly ambiguous” whereas the paired photo creates the feeling “of things closing down badly.” More images are here.
When global trade came to 16th century Japan it stimulated a new visual aesthetic of bold patterns and bright colours – somewhat parallel to Europe’s Baroque. Open trading lasted just 50 years after which Japan was closed off for another 250 years. Trade resumed with Admiral Perry’s arrival and shortly thereafter, a craze for Japan’s aesthetic swept 19th century Europe.
“Astonishing” is the writer’s summation of a show that contrasts the Parthenon marbles with works by Rodin. Rodin repeatedly came to London to study these ancient sculptures – as well he might. “[Rodin’s] The Kiss – one of the most sensual and captivating masterpieces of modern times … And those old Greek goddesses blow it away … the greatest works of art on earth”
Do we understand beauty? Euclid thought it was a matter of harmonious proportion. David Hume said it existed only in the mind of the individual. Kant proposed that declaring something beautiful means “we believe we have a universal voice”. The writer agrees – perceived beauty “creates a temporary kind of community … a space under which our collective thoughts gather”.
Factories in Victorian England made poor products in terrible conditions. The arts and crafts movement advocated for handcrafted products made with natural materials. This aesthetic has been widely influential. Morris, a prime mover in the movement, also wanted a higher status given to the decorative arts. That remains a work in progress. Background on the movement is here.
These past few decades Julian Schnabel has been largely ignored. “Sometimes the personality can get in the way” admits his gallerist. Now, suddenly, some attention. Schnabel puts it down to being “a nonconformist … maybe you come in and out of view.” Or perhaps, says the curator, it is due to his art: “It’s not a renaissance. It’s a sign of power and … impact of the work.”
Short and scathing. The writer attacks from the first sentence – “Jasper Johns is the minor artist with the major reputation”. His complaint seems to be that Johns hasn’t had any good ideas lately. “One day, there may be a reckoning of a legacy that has derived only diminishing returns from initial mid-century investments.”
Big art fairs are lucrative only for large galleries that can cover high participation costs with substantial sales. Yet small galleries feel they cannot afford not to attend – “big fairs are now one of the definitions of success”. And larger galleries want them to attend – so they can identify the newer artists they will eventually poach.
Art tastes in early twentieth century America were sedate. So the 1913 Armory show, which included experimental European modernists, shocked. Its impact on American artists, the subject of a new show, was “new modes of thinking, and new forms of expression”. No one new style predominated, but rather “the beautiful chaos of innovation”. More images are here.