In the Shadow of Monet

In the Shadow of Monet: Giverny and American Impressionism is currently on display at the Columbia Museum of Art in South Carolina through September 4, 2022.

Giverny was the French village Claude Monet settled in and that which provided inspiration for this work. Many American artists flocked there after seeing the amazing, new style of impressionism. This exhibit displays works of over 40 of these artists who were inspired by Monet.

While there was a Claude Monet on display, I prefer this piece by his step daughter and daughter in law (I had to think that one through too). When her mom and husband passed away, she cared for Monet until he passed on. She inherited the infamous gardens that her father in law painted over and over again and were clearly an inspiration to her as well.

Weeping Willows on the Lily Pond at Giverny by Blanche Hoschede-Monet (1893-1897)

  There were many traditional styles you would expect to see in this exhibit.

Summer Reflections by Louis Ritter (c. 1890)

Some were colorful.

Sailing in Autum by Mariquita Gill (C. 1898)

 Besides nature there are many scenes to enjoy.

Street Scene by Pauline Palmer (undated)

Harvest Time by Dawson Dawson-Watson (c. 1891)

I can hear the leaves rustling in this one!

Carpet of Leaves, Giverny by Will Hicok Low (1901)

The following two were painted by a South Carolina native who never came back after growing up in Columbia and earning her art education at Converse College in Spartanburg, SC. She traveled the world and I am enamored by her dreamy painting style!

Three Sisters and Friendly Willow by Blondelle Malone (c. 1904)

Reflection by Blondelle Malone (c. 1904)

 

The First Snow by Lilla Cabot Perry (1926)

Spring Freshets by Abel George Warshawky (not dated)

I would love to be part of this scene below.

West Camp on the Hudson by Samuel Halpert (1920)

Scenes of life in an impressionist style have always been a favorite of mine. 

Confidences by Charles Edward Conder (c. 1900)

Dejuener by Karl Anderson (not dated)

Those were some of my favorites. Definitely an exhibit for anyone who appreciates impressionism!

If you go, the museum is located at 1515 Main St in Columbia, SC.

Open 10am - 5pm Tuesday thru Sunday (open late on Thursdays until 8pm).

website

Have a marvelous day/evening (wherever you are on the clock)! ~Val

Current Exhibits at the Columbia Museum of Art

There are three great temporary exhibits currently going on at the Columbia Museum of art in South Carolina.

First is 22 South Carolinians (thru May 22, 2022) featuring black artists in the state who explore their past, present and future states of blackness. The result is stunning.

This piece is by Ija Charles, a young woman whose art I have already admired since she has painted building murals in the city for everyone to enjoy.

Bridge City, 2021 (mixed media, acrylic, foam board)

Next is by Tonya Gregg. This wonderful piece, in the artist's words, portrays "the inevitable struggles humans have with life and death." With the message of "enjoying one's own cultural interest, authenticity and overcoming a complex world."

A Holistic World View, 2017 (acrylic on linen)

The most inspiring piece for me was by J. Renee. It is very personal telling the story of the artist's fourth great grandmother who was a midwife delivering babies for mothers of slaves as well as white babies. This woman was given as a gift by the owner of the Davis Plantation in SC to his daughter. The piece highlights her strength as well as that of her husband who remained on the plantation but visited her each week by bravely walking the streets in the 1800s. This region is filled with such poignant stories but also equally moving.

Red Riding Hood of Ogun and the Gatekeepers, 2021

Another exhibit is titled 30 Americans (Thru January 17, 2022) featuring black artists over the last few decades. These works explore a wide variety of emotions.

I tend to gravitate towards the more uplifting works like this by Kerry James Marshall. Although at second glance the artist "chose to paint the hearts pink specifically to emphasize the disconnection between the overtly romantic imagery in the foreground and the historical and political imagery in the background. "

Vignette #10, 2007 (acrylic on fiberglass)

This piece below is by Mickalene Thomas. Thomas created this to "portray the beauty and sexuality that I see from women that I grew up with." The use of enamel and rhinestones made this piece so eye catching!

Baby I am Ready Now, 2007 (diptych, acrylic, rhinestones and enamel on wooden panel)

Robert Colescott created the next striking painting titled Ode to Joy. This was inspired by abstract expressionism. There was no blurb about its meaning. I suppose it is simply an ode to joy to gaze and smile at.

Ode to Joy, 1997 (acrylic on canvas)

The third visiting exhibit is Venezia by Michael Kenna through March 13, 2022. This series of photos taken over the period between 1980 - 2008, using extended exposure at night and developing in black and white, creates an eerie effect on this sinking city. These being behind glass capture my unintended selfie!

Rubbish Bins, Piazza San Marco, 2008

Palazzo Ducale Reflection, 1987

Column, Piazzetta San Marco, 1987

White Boat, Fondamenta Zattere ai Saloni, 2006

I hope you enjoyed this sampling! Each exhibit was unique and entertaining to peruse. 

Have a marvelous day/evening (wherever you are on the clock)! ~Val

The Ironic Curtain

The Ironic Curtain is currently on display thru September 12, 2021 at the Columbia Museum of Art in South Carolina. This exhibit features the underground work of Russian artists under political repression prior to the fall of the Soviet Union as well as more recent art. In short, this is named Sots Art.

Some pieces are quite quirky like this of Apollo the Greek god of the arts, President Ronald Reagan and Spiderman. This artist emigrated to the United States from Russia stating that "Sots Art in exile is, for me, the genuine thing." He felts that "Sots Art cannot evolve in Russia."

Hero, Leader, God -by Alexander Kosolapov, 1985

Below is Joseph Stalin watching Charlie Chaplin's Gold Rush playing on the scene of the old leather shoe being eaten. Stalin banned the movie after seeing the painting to avoid comparison.

Shoe Appetite, 2 Great Dictators by Tengiz, 1991

Perseus holding Medusa's head is depicted by the artist here explaining this is the assassin who killed Leon Trosky by a pickaxe to the head when he was in exile in Mexico City in 1940. The order was given by Stalin.

Perseus (The Assassination of Trotsky by Stalin By Alexander Kosolapov, 1983

This work is a collection of leaders, dictators and art collectors. The bottom right is Neil K. Rector who is the collector of the exhibit collection.

The Third Empire by Vitaly Komar and Alexander Melamidm 1982-1983

This sculpture is a play on Giacometti's Walking Man. In this humorous piece, the walking man suffering from life's challenges at the time in his country meets Vladimir Lenin. Lenin is normally depicted as strong but here is a bit baffled by this worn out man. It portrays the difference between Socialist Realism and Existentialism of the time.

Meeting of Two Sculptures by Leonid Sokov, 1990

I particularly appreciated the large collection of photographs in this exhibit. 

Television Came to the Village by Mark Shteinbock, 1980

The most remarkable work to us was that of Oleg Vassiliev. These are more recent works. What intrigued us was how much aspects of these oil on canvas appeared like photographs. True art!

Remembrance of Things Past by Oleg Vassiliev, 1993

Gathering in Moscow by Oleg Vassiliev, 1998

Erik Bulatov - Mayakovsky Square by Oleg Vassiliev, 1995

This painting below is by the artist portrayed in the piece above. Bulatov said "The space we inhabited was entirely deformed by our frighteningly aggressive ideology. But because people had lived their lives in this space, they had begun to perceive it as normal, as natural. I personally wanted to show the abnormality and unnaturalness of this normal space". The Soviet men and women are enjoying the beach scene which is interrupted by red "ribbon" used in military medals, particularly under Lenin.

Red Horizon by Erik Bulatov, 1970-2000

In this photo below, the artist takes found photos and scratches out the faces as well as other treatments. His focus is photos from the 1930s - the 1950s when people under Stalin feared doing something wrong that could create trouble for them. It was important to be careful of what was being photographed. I have a feeling this fear still exists today and must be more challenging considering all the photos and film constantly being taken.

Untitled 4.90-22 by Igor Savchenko, 1993

Ending with something fun! There is a wonderful variety of children's book covers by these artists on display too.

Cinderella book cover by Oleg Vasiliev & Erik Bulatov, 1990

Overall the exhibit was entertaining, mostly witty and smile inducing. It demonstrates the power of humor at times of difficulty and oppression. 

If you go, the CMA is located at 1515 Main Street in Columbia, SC.

Open Tuesday thru Sunday from 10am - 5pm.

This exhibit runs thru September 12, 2021.

Have a marvelous day/evening (wherever you are on the clock)! ~Val

The Work of M. C. Escher

The largest private collection of M. C. Escher's work is currently on display at the Columbia Museum of Art in South Carolina through June 6, 2021.

This exhibit brings the viewer into an impossible world of images using reflections, infinity, symmetry and so much more. Certainly the most detailed artist I have observed!

Reptiles features lizards moving from animated, to paper in tessellations and back again. I remember finding this one quite humorous as a child and still do!

Reptiles, 1943 (lithograph)

Waterfall is a fantastic illusion when you view how the water moves.

Waterfall, 1961 (lithograph)

One of his most notable works is Drawing Hands. What a master of life like shading!

Drawing Hands, 1942 (lithograph)

As we follow the paths in Relativity, our minds tell us this can not happen but our eyes tell us something different.

Relativity, 1953 (lithograph)

Probably the most intriguing piece to me is Eye. Escher felt that when we look inside ourselves, we see our mortality. If you look closely, there is a skull reflecting in the pupil.

Eye, 1946 (mezzotint)

There is not shortage of whimsy throughout Escher's work. Dream features a praying mantis who the artist says posed long enough for him to create a detailed drawing. It is left up to the viewer to interpret this as the artist's dream or if the bishop is dreaming of the mantis.

Dream (Mantis Religiosa), 1935 (Wood Engraving)

Escher lived for quite some time in Italy which inspired some amazing landscape pieces.

Atrani, Coast of Amalfi, 1931 (woodcut)

One of my many favorites was this scene where the table of books and the street are one. I would love to take a stroll in one of Escher's impossible works!

Still Life and Street, 1937 (woodcut)

Day and Night is an incredible work with night on the right and day on the left.  The night and day birds are formed by each other. The camera picked up some glass reflection on this one so it is a little difficult to see. Oops!

Day and Night, 1938 (woodcut)

I hope you enjoyed this sampling of the exhibit. Escher was an incredible artist who created lithographs, mezzotints, woodcuts and wood engraving with such precision. Definitely a treat to see in person!

Have a marvelous day/evening (wherever you are on the clock)! ~Val