Feted in London this show has moved to Washington. Cezanne “faltered” in his portraits because of the difficulty of showing what he wanted to show – a person not a personality, “an absoluteness not just of seeing, but of being”. This idea is a building block of modernism and not easy. “Cézanne’s fate has been to be revered more than enjoyed.”
The idea of art expressing the unconscious has a long history. Paul Brown has given the idea a modern twist – writing computer programs that autonomously generate art. These works are not Brown’s self-expression but rather art that “makes itself” and is testimony to the “beauty of spontaneous and organic structures”. Images showing the development of these ideas are here.
Should some ancient stone tools be viewed as sculpture? A “provocative” US show promotes this hypothesis, displaying hand axes too big for practical use and other tools so symmetrical as to compromise usability. Early examples of Duchamp’s concept of the readymade, perhaps? A concession of sorts comes from one critic – “some of the oldest aesthetic objects on earth”.
An art world heavy hitter draws attention to the nearly-forgotten Colescott. Colescott anticipated important social issues, especially identity stereotypes. His preferred approach was not earnestness but humour. An obituary, in 2009, noted his “giddily joyful, destabilized compositions … satirized and offended without regard to race, creed, gender.” More images are here.
A review brimming with enthusiasm – and florid language – about a “spectacular” show. “Twombly has been able to make an art that rises to the level of epic poetry … deploying the multicolored fireballs, ship prows and oarsmen, smears that look like waterfalls, and giant floating clots. [A] tour de force”.
Berkshire museum has won a protracted battle to raise money by selling key artworks. Having satisfied the court about its financial difficulties, the museum can proceed with its sale. One key work will be purchased by another institution and kept on public display. Few on the ‘losing’ side seem happy. Says one “I think the precedent here is, frankly, disastrous”.
California’s “light and space” art (also called ‘finish fetish’ art) is cerebral – quiet pieces with exact, immaculate surfaces, manipulating light and geometric shapes. DeLap was an early contributor and is viewed mainly as a painter. However, the reviewer admits, “painting … is almost never the main event. [B]eyond the painting’s edges, the possibilities are several.”