the guide December 5, 2014
arts issue
INSIDE
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
‘The Traveler’s Eye’ Phillips Collection American Art Museum Artist
Terry Svat Artist
Stephen Talasnik Freer Gallery National Gallery Dumbarton Oaks Art and Art History Professor
THIS ISSUE
W
ashington, D.C., is home to a menagerie of galleries and museums that are frequently forgotten during the busy routine of campus life. This issue is an overview of the diverse exhibits located just a bus ride or metro stop away. With pieces spanning art forms, continents and centuries, it provides just a taste of what this multicultural city has to offer.
temporary exhibits
DAYS OF ENDLESS TIME WHERE: Hirshhorn WHEN: Oct. 16 to April 6 PRICE: Free
Alfred Acres
RICHARD ESTES’ REALISM
Mallika Sen, Editor-in-Chief Hannah Kaufman, Guide Editor Carolyn Maguire, Executive Editor Robert DePaolo, Interim Managing Editor Jess Kelham-Hohler, Online Editor Daniel Smith, Photography Editor Shannon Hou, Layout Editor Zack Saravay, Copy Chief Michael Fiedorowicz, Deputy Guide Editor Gianna Pisano, Deputy Guide Editor Matthew Trunko, Deputy Layout Editor Katherine Cienkus, Deputy Copy Editor Gabi Hasson, Deputy Copy Editor Becca Saltzman, Deputy Copy Editor Front Cover: Based on piece by Jill Baker Drawn By: Hannah Kaufman Back Cover: Based on Dumbarton Oaks Mayan panel Drawn By: Michelle Xu With Thanks to: Freer Gallery, Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Phillips Collection, American Art Museum, National Gallery, Dumbarton Oaks, Marsha Mateyka Gallery
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WHERE: American Art Museum WHEN: Oct. 10 to Feb. 8 PRICE: Free
FACE VALUE: PORTRAITURE IN THE AGE OF ABSTRACTION WHERE: National Portrait Gallery WHEN: Dec. 5 to Jan. 11 PRICE: Free
PETER KEPHART: SETTING THE WORLD ON FIRE, ONE PAINTING AT A TIME WHERE: Zenith Gallery WHEN: Dec. 12 to Jan. 31 PRICE: Free
The concept of time is a difficult one to grasp, especially in the fast-paced 21st century. This exhibit successfully captures moments in time through a series of photographs, creating a sense of timelessness. Sometimes it is difficult to escape reality and responsibilities, but this free exhibit provides the perfect atmosphere to unwind and get lost in abstract art. The various artists depict scenes taken from around the world, incorporating a myriad of people and cultures into one cohesive exhibit. The diversity of our world cannot be captured solely in a few photographs, but “Days of Endless Time” is as close as it can get.
COURTESY HIRSHHORN
Richard Estes is a realist artist who has been portraying concepts devoid of subjective emotion for over 50 years. He portrays urban scenes and objects that are unambiguous and simple, such as escalators and trains, in a display of vibrant colors and unique textures. The realism of the picture is impressive: Most of his paintings greatly resemble photographs. The use of shadows, reflections and other realist techniques creates an exhibit that can be enjoyed both for its aesthetic appeal and for the immense talent of this realist artist.
COURTESY AMERICAN ART MUSUEM
In the age of selfies, it is difficult to imagine the days when painting portraits was the primary way of distributing your image to others. This exhibit analyzes the radical changes in portraiture over the centuries. It delves into the period after World War II, when the painting of portraits truly started to die out, and then chronicles the breakthroughs made in abstract portraits that developed in the 21st century. Over 50 paintings, drawings and sculptures allow viewers to walk through history and see how the notion of a portrait as we know it has transformed over the years.
COURTESY NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY
Peter Kephart literally plays with fire. He consistently utilizes fire while creating his pieces, which makes for fascinating and unique art. He spreads gunpowder across his work in specific ways and then holds his canvas over a fire in order to create his desired effect. The collection that will be on display at the Zenith Gallery includes seven different works that display Kepart’s impressive range. From the colorful, vibrant and distinct work of “Fire in the Sky” to the mellow and dark “Abstract Natural #4,” there will be a lot to ponder at this exhibit.
COURTESY PETER KEPHART
Traveler’s Eye Currently on display at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, “The Traveler’s Eye” offers a vibrant and diverse portfolio of Asian art. Spanning a wide swath of time from the 16th to the 20th century, this exhibit provides a look at an ever-changing culture across several different artistic channels. From scrolls and woodblocks to photographs and postcards, “Traveler’s Eye” aptly explores Asian geography, history and society through the eyes of those who visited and were captivated by the continent. Here is what several of the seven expert curators had to say about the exhibit.
Where: Arthur M. Sackler Gallery When: 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Dec. 5 to May 29 Info: asia.si.edu/travelerseye Price: Free
Stephen Allee, associate curator of Chinese painting and calligraphy (Chinese scrolls)
Ann Yonemura, senior associate curator of Japanese art (Japanese screens and prints)
“Travel is a constant theme in Chinese art and literature. Whether it is government officials performing their duties and moving from post to post, farmers and tradesmen bringing products to the market and transporting goods over long distances, or private citizens going on pleasure excursions and day trips to local sights and places of scenic interest, the people of China were constantly on the move, filling the roads and rivers that united the empire in the common enterprise of daily life. These artworks provide a window into their experiences and bring this multifaceted array of human activity into vivid focus.”
“Hiroshige’s woodblock prints of the Tōkaidō vividly illustrate how travellers on foot experienced this vital route of some 300 miles between Edo (now Tokyo) and Kyoto over 150 years ago. Today, we travel along the Tōkaidō in vehicles on a highway or by high-speed train, yet some views like the sudden, looming appearance of Mount Fuji as the route passes close to the sacred mountain still inspire awe.”
COURTESY ARTHUR M. SACKLER GALLERY
“Boats Grappling Upstream” shows rural Chinese culture during the Qing dynasty.
Carol Huh, associate curator of contemporary Asian art (Raghubir Singh photographs) “The journey is a magical experience. In the end, it is a collection of moments when spaces — physical sites that many others may have visited — are transformed into unique, irretrievable places of encounter, imagination, and memories for each traveller.”
COURTESY ARTHUR M. SACKLER GALLERY
Nancy Micklewright, interim head of public and scholarly engagement (postcards)
COURTESY ARTHUR M. SACKLER GALLERY
This print piece, titled “Swimmers and Diver, Scindia Ghat,” depicts artist Raghubir Singh’s memories of India.
“Most of the objects in an art museum like ours are very special — made by highly trained artists or craftsmen for an elite audience and treasured over the centuries. We love and revere them, in part, because of their uniqueness and value. In contrast, the postcards in the exhibit were ubiquitous, inexpensive and things which every visitor to the exhibition might have owned. They open up lots of conversations about travel, memory and mementos, as these were experienced among all segments of the population.”
“Famous Places of the Fifty-Three Stations: Mishima” is a Japanese-styled woodblock. James Ulak, senior curator of Japanese art (Japanese screens and prints) “Every image of journey, every talisman of travel contains complex perspectives. Many of these are not obvious and often surprising. After seeing this exhibition, you’ll never look at a postcard or Instagram in the same way again.”
arts issue | 3
Phillips Collection By Nicole Jarvis The Phillips Collection is a hidden gem of galleries in the District. While it is does not offer as wide a range of work as the Smithsonian art museums, it is one of the most impressive private collections in D.C., and it deserves this reputation. This body of artwork comes entirely from the private collection of one man, Duncan Phillips, who gathered American and French impressionist art and early modern masterpieces throughout his entire life. Instead of leaving these works to languish away from the public eye, as many private collections do, Phillips and his wife opened a museum to display the collection. Much of the permanent collection is housed in the old Phillips family home, meaning you experience their art in a unique way. Although seeing a Van Gogh or a Braque hung over a fireplace is disorienting at first, the worn hardwood floors and the dramatic music room make the gallery feel much more welcoming and comfortable than a standard museum. Admission to the Permanent Collection is free, though donations are encouraged and any temporary exhibition costs around $10. Though the temporary exhibitions are typically rather small, they are always worth the price. The current temporary exhibitions feature works by neo-impressionists like Georges Seurat and several striking statue installations by contemporary artist Bernard Roig in unexpected corners of the gallery.
The Road Menders (Van Gogh) While Phillips acquired many works by both impressionist and post-impressionist artists, his collection of works by Vincent Van Gogh are most striking — particularly the 1889 work “The Road Menders.” The green-tinged bark of the trees and the delicate yellow leaves that top them flow in a gradient to the similarly colored road and town below. In addition, the yellow architecture in the background fuses into golden shades of the tree canopy beside them. While this blend of shades helps to unite the overall photo, the geometrically varied shapes of the road menders’ blocks provide a stark contrast to the less rigid forms of the accompanying landscape. Van Gogh’s thick brush strokes and subtly distorted features are a testament to his unrealistic style of painting. The faceless figures scattered throughout the work also add to this distinct look, inspiring an aura of otherworldliness that blends human life and the surrounding environment into one flowing, unified atmosphere. Whether it is the black clothing of the passersby, the structured squares of the building blocks or the warped shape of the trees, each element adds dimension to this painting. The work’s presentation, hung over one of the many fireplaces in the old wing of the museum, seems to be a little disjointed, but that may be because of an expectation by the viewer of a more stereotypical white-walled backdrop.
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Migration Series (LAwrence) The Phillips Collection also boasts Jacob Lawrence’s “Migration Series,” which details the events common in the lives of African-Americans participating in the Great Migration from the agricultural South to the industrial North after the end of the Civil War and Reconstruction. The piece consists of 100 panels, of which the Phillips owns 50 — the other half are housed at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Lawrence is one of the most important black artists of the 20th century, and the story these images tell is a powerful one that is often overlooked in American history. The figures seem crude, as there is little sense of distance, or perspective. However, their purposeful simplicity draws on strong African artistic tradition and the verbal histories that passed through generations of African-Americans in both the North and South.
Luncheon of the Boating Party (Renoir) The most beloved work of art in this collection is Pierre Auguste Renoir’s bright and lively masterpiece “Luncheon of the Boating Party.” The level of detail on the large canvas is striking. Everywhere you look, new details emerge, whether it’s the reflections on the numerous glasses, the sunlight bouncing off the surface of the water or the bright ribbons adorning the gowns and hats of the leisure-loving partygoers. Renoir is known for his mastery of light and color, and “Luncheon on the Boating Party” only proves that he deserves all that praise and more. Given the painting’s size, there is often unrecognized action hiding in the background, and his crowd of aimless flaneurs seems to glow with light and life. All PHOTOS: NICOLE JARVIS/THE HOYA
American Art Museum By Gianna Pisano The Lincoln Gallery instantly invites visitors with its beautiful granite floor, concave ceilings letting in natural light and elegant views of the Courtyard Cafe located in the middle of the museum. However, the exhibit itself is anything but dainty — the powerful contemporary art found here explores intense social themes that cause visitors to question their values, knowledge of history and appreciation of art. The pleasant facade of the exhibit juxtaposed with intense artwork and motifs including racism, inequality and women’s rights, send visitors through a whirlwind of emotions. Textures and vibrant colors are projected along the length of the white room, reminding viewers that each element of the exhibit has an intentional effect on the atmosphere. Located conveniently next to the Gallery Place Metro Station, the accessibility adds to the profound experience found at the American Art Museum. These pieces are unassuming at first glance, but their controversial undertones allow visitors to explore U.S. history and culture in an emotional and novel way.
Picnic (LeDray) This clay piece artwork is aptly named “Picnic,” as its trove of cute ceramic treats is instantly enticing from afar. However, it quickly becomes evident that there is a lot more to these clay treats. The simplicity of a picnic on a nice day captivates children and adults alike and the colorful, handmade foods are detailed with precision to represent real things. However, this sculpture’s meaning is both intriguing and confusing. The motifs of nostalgia and childhood are apparent, but the variety of potential themes makes this work of art both intriguing and speculative. The food groups could possibly allude to diversity in 20th-century America, since LeDray was born in 1960 but created this display from 2005 to 2013. The abstract meaning combined with the blatantly simple concept of a picnic makes this piece truly captivating.
Electronic Superhighway (PAIK)
Money (Bochner) The brightly colored words pop out against the gray background of this painting and the variety of words just beg to be read by anyone who passes by. This piece portrays several synonyms for money in an appealing font with inviting colors and it almost seems like something one could hang in his or her room. It is relatively easy to understand on a basic level, which makes it appealing to many viewers. Instantly, one can grasp that it was a play on the materialization of the world and our obsession with money, but it was not until further delving into the piece that I saw the juxtaposition of slang, such as “moolah,” with biblically rooted terms such as “the root of all evil.” In addition, the words are put together with those of the same letter to create alliteration that makes it fun to read aloud and roll of the tongue. The first half is one-word synonyms and the second half is phrases that also mean money. The three dollar signs at the end of the painting really pack a final punch and tie it together nicely. Seeing this from afar, it seems like it could be easy to understand, but the abstract notes that it contains are only evident after further exploration.
For SAAM (Holzer)
Korean-born artist Nam June Paik really demonstrates his perception of America in this huge interactive sculpture, composed of 336 TVs, 50 DVD players, 3,750 feet of cable and 575 feet of multicolored neon tubing. Each state was portrayed by several TVs of its defining characteristics or other identifiable features. Kansas shows Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz,” while Alabama shows Martin Luther King Jr. marching in Birmingham. The unique perspective of a U.S. immigrant is portrayed by video footage and sound — sound that can be heard faintly throughout the exhibit, attracting viewers from everywhere. The alluring neon colors surrounding the display spill out of the room and draw people in with an electric intensity. Paik’s understanding of our diverse nation acknowledges its stereotypes while also showcasing the bold characteristics hat make the United States the dynamic nation it is today. People could sit and watch this display for hours, and it serves as the focal point of the entire exhibit. Even the smallest states as well as D.C. are represented, attesting to the acute effort Paik invested into this sculpture. This groundbreaking work of art gave him the title “father of video art.” His creation was the first of its kind, certainly making it a keystone in the creation of multimedia works and the inclusion of video and radio.
The vast rooms of the Lincoln Gallery are symbolic and beautiful, but they also make way for one thing in particular: the giant 20-foot sculpture “For SAAM.” This cylindrical tower portrays several spiraling messages — known to artist Holzer as “altruisms” — that provide tidbits of powerful thoughts and intense ideals. The title, which can be read as “for the Smithsonian American Art Museum,” directly states that the tower is unique to the museum and the messages are directed at the audience. Why is it, then, that Holzer only seems to provide more questions? The ominous phrases and mysterious quotes both confuse and intrigue, but at the same time this makes it one of the best pieces. The intriguing nature of this piece and its LED lighting drawing viewers in the moment they step into the naturally lit room. Its staggering height amplifies this effect. Although not as colorful as other pieces in the exhibit, “For SAAM”’s seemingly endless messages provide a new element of dynamic entertainment, and it is a unique twist that makes the exhibit complete. All PHOTOS: GIANNA PISANO/THE HOYA
art issue | 5
Terry Svat By Hannah Kaufman
Terry Svat is a local artist in the District whose unique, experimental printmaking are gaining traction in the art world. Her work was recently shown in the exhibit “My 20 20 Vision,” whose pieces drew from all stages of life experiences and in a way allowed her to reinvent her past. Svat pulled from her her wide array of memories of trips including the Soviet Union, Panama, and Argentina, recombining mental and material scraps to create an entirely new work of art. Her intense passion for the arts and her expert division and fusion of colors and patterns convey the message of life’s ever-changing state. What first got you interested in art? How has your work evolved over time? I lived near the Cleveland Museum of Art and went to Saturday art classes from a very early age. While studying fine art in college, I took a course in printmaking and fell in love with the medium. Although I painted for a few years, printmaking has always been my fallback. What draws you to printmaking as an art form? How have you added your own twists to this medium? If we judge what has been preserved through the ages, we can see that the first artists made images in an effort to communicate with the forces that had power over their lives. Perhaps their imagery was a talisman or a prayer of sorts to ease their journey through life, helping them deal with both their joys and life struggles. Over the past 30-some years, my art has been influenced by the various ways in which people and societies not only leave their mark on their civilizations but also provide a legacy of images, symbols and monuments that speaks to other societies and other times. Because I had the opportunity to live and travel
abroad, I was able to study some of the symbols and images of various places in the world. I explored huacas from the pre-Columbian period, symbols and images of Stonehenge and Machu Picchu, the significance of the Berlin Wall and its demise, Apartheid and our own Vietnam Wall. Throughout November, your work was displayed in an exhibit titled “My 20 20 Vision-Experimental Works.” What was your inspiration for these pieces? My “20 20 Vision” exhibition is the revisiting of my past images and presenting them in a different light. I combine fragments of my past prints, which include houses, archetypes, generations and symbols from which I create intricate, compact mixed-media tableaus of the present and what might be the future. The story behind these tableaus is as follows. In 2008, I was an instructor at The George Washington University in the art therapy department. The department moved from main campus to a new area in Old Town Alexandria and asked its faculty and students to take an 8x8 canvas and create a piece to be hung on the halls of the new space. I couldn’t see how
printmaking and canvas worked together until a small fragment of a print fell on the canvas. I began adding more fragments of old prints to the canvas, thereby completing the piece. I hated to give the piece up to the university because I liked it and wanted to develop its theme. That was the beginning of my tableau series. I now have completed 26 of them. Your work features many faceless figures. Can you say more about why you choose this human representation and the impact that has on your art? Images of the human figure appeared in cave drawings, reliquaries and the like as an expression of life and its rituals. They are timeless and used as a universal, not a specific, identity. I have kept that feeling in my images, although their shapes have changed as my theme developed. How has your work altered your outlook on life, or vice versa? My works are more of an inquiry into the efforts of mark makers in other societies while trying to encourage an interaction with current life forces. Working as an art therapist has opened my mind to understanding more fully these connections. I want my work to convey a sense of connectivity, a flow of past to the present and back again. Are you currently working on any projects?
What ideas do you have that you would like to explore in your art? While working on this exhibit, I was introduced to the works of Lothar Osterberg, who was giving a lecture and workshop at the George Mason University print department. He talked about revisiting your past works and seeing them in a different way. I began doing that, as I said for this exhibit, and now will begin to play with the images of houses and their symbolic meaning in our lives. Following this exhibit, is your work currently/ going to be on display anywhere in D.C.? Where can people access your art? The exhibit has ended, but my work is still with the gallery (Washington Printmakers Gallery 1641 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.) and can be seen in part, or by appointment. My work is also shown at at www. washingtonprintmakers.com and http:// about.me/terrysvat. Art Piece: Pisac Rivisited I This piece relates to a time when I was visiting Peru and passed through Pisac on my way to Machu Picchu. The guide showed us an ancient stone cross that had been buried halfway into the earth. She explained that it represented life above ground as well as life below, heaven and the underworld, life and rebirth. It really resonated with me and, at this time, I feel I needed to create it anew.
COURTESY TERRY SVAT
Terry Svat combines new and old material to create her distinct, abstract print art. Her work is currently on display at the Washington Printmakers Gallery.
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Stephen talasnik By Hannah Kaufman Born in Southwest Philadelphia, Stephen Talasnik began experimenting with organic material and geometric architecture at a young age. His passion has only intensified over time, and his style has translated into mature and idiosyncratic artwork. In his exhibit “Linear Transformations, Structures of Questionable Origins,” currently on display at the Marsha Mateyka Gallery, Talasnik manifests his perception of the physical world into a skeletal infrastructure of staggering complexity. Your site talks a little bit about your creativity as a child. Can you elaborate on the period when you first began experimenting with material and with art? I was curious enough that drawing and making things were very much easily annexed as a child. I was not interested in academic activity. I used to learn about things by drawing, and I used to invent and make things. As a child, I was always interested in things like the space program, industrial architecture, transportation and the future. What I did as a child really hasn’t left the work I do now. But my work itself is not childlike. It’s the idea that the impulse to make these things is really rooted in a childlike curiosity of how things are made, how things are put together, how things are taken apart: the assembly. It’s an underlying sense of curiosity and invention and harnessing both of those elements that enables me to make the work that I do. The work grows out of various experiences that I’ve had, but ultimately it’s neither images nor structures grown through nature. I have a responsibility to see what’s out there and pull it through their own individual experience. I’m not interested in making art that reflects nature or mimics architecture. The experiences of one’s lifetime enable the creation of new, innovative types of objects and visual arenas. Ultimately, you’re not just making things that mimic nature but really every experience that you’ve ever had from the time you were a child. Whether it’s the loss of a friendship or the fire in a house or travel to a great place, all of these constitute the creation of an individual encyclopedia, and ultimately you as an artist have a responsibility to create a reaction and form something innovative. The information you cultivate as a child profoundly impacts what you do in a more mature world and an adult life. The secret is not about imitating what you experienced as a child, but instead accepting that what you learned will become a part of the rest of your life experiences. I’ve been really focused in the past 10 years on public projects,
STEPHENTALASNIK.COM
Stephen Talasnik forms an intricate sculpture of geometric designs out of simple material like wood and glue.
primarily projects on nature. It’s more unusual for me to do an exhibition anymore. The older I get, the more challenged I am by the relationship of nature to architecture. I’m not a naturalist; I grew up in an urban center, and so I’m still intrigued by the relationship of nature to architecture. What materials do you use in your works? The sculptural material is generally wood. Although not in this show, I do a lot of work with reeds and things that grow in nature. In this particular show, most of the material is plain wood or wood that is coated with pulverized material, acrylics. It’s easy enough for me to work with material that is simple enough and doesn’t require a lot of technical fabrication. I have a desire to construct without constraint. I don’t use any mathematics to create my sculptures. There’s no software. I use a pencil to draw with and basic wood and glue to build with. They are the most democratic materials and, instinctively, the most intimate and confessional.
preliminary drawings. There are numerous relationships between what I build and draw and aspects of music. There’s repetition and variation that change mildly as a result of human experience. In terms of the building, I function more to the aesthetics. You start out with the basic understanding of a structure and are able to build on that, not necessarily knowing where you are going but knowing what the process involves. I never know what it’s going to look like. I’m invested in the process of building and making. I’m not working with any reliance on a blueprint, and you must have a leap of faith in the end to know when it is complete. My work generally has the air of the unfinished but the complete. Your current exhibit is titled “Linear Trans-
formations, Structures of Questionable Origins.” What is the underlying story, message or goal of this exhibit? My work has always addressed fictional engineering. It’s all about the infrastructure of things that are invented, so that there’s always a sense of questionable origin, like where these things are from and how they evolve. They all have a degree of being real, so what I’m doing here is no different than just a continuum of the past 40 years, inventing structures that walk a tightrope between nature and architecture. They are linear structures, skeletal by nature. I am an interested in engineering. I don’t come from a traditional fine arts background nor do I have formal training in architecture. I draw things I am curious about and that I invented. It’s not the kind of work where you are going to say, “That looks like a tree trunk, an office building.” They have to be enigmatic, a little bit ambiguous of what they are supposed to be in the traditional sense. They rely on language that melds that which is organic from nature and that which is handmade. Art Piece: Strata “Strata” is three layers of what appears to be geological levels of plates of the earth. That idea was conceived in a process of what can compare to knitting with wood. Each piece is irregular, and by stacking them, one has to think about how the land has been formed. It looks like reclining skyscrapers. For me, it talks to the more recent experiences I’ve had in the past four years looking at land formations in the West and how they might be addressed by some guy who grew up in the Northeast. It’s trying to talk about scale horizontally, since I’m a victim of the skyscraper aesthetic. It’s clearly about the land for me but not being nostalgic or sentimental. “Strata” in particular is a nice little summation of the surprises of working out on the plains and pretending to be a cowboy.
How long does it usually take you to complete a sculpture? Can you explain a little bit about the process behind it? A drawing can take a week or a couple of years. There’s one large drawing in that show (“Propeller”) that took about a year and a half to make, and there are smaller drawings that took even longer. I don’t tend to make things that are easily accomplishable. I tend to work in groups and clusters of ideas, and I work on five to six pieces at a time. It really takes as long as it has to in order to do what I want it to do. The sculpture and drawing reflect a level of devotion to continuation: a summation, a conclusion. For the most part, I’m interested in exploring the range of clues without finalizing the solution. Is the final image something you conceive before or after you set to work? It’s rarely ever a pre-conceived notion of what a thing is going to look like. I don’t do
COURTESY MARSHA MATEYKA GALLERY
arts issue | 7
Freer gallery By Michael Fiedorowicz
Over the past decade, the ideology of Islam has become the subject of controversy, but most people only have a superficial knowledge of this complex school of thought. Before one can knowledgeably discuss this dynamic religion, it is first necessary to immerse oneself in the rich culture that surrounds its belief system and native lands. “Arts of the Islamic World” is a permanent exhibit in the Freer Gallery of Art that gives viewers an opportunity to explore the religion’s regional background. The exhibit focuses on the Islamic world’s three primary forms of artistic expression: architecture, arts of the book and arts of the object. This extensive range of media across an equally large swath of land, originating anywhere from Morocco to the islands of Southeast Asia, makes for a very diverse collection. This is only accentuated by the time frame that the pieces cover, from the early ninth century to the 20th century, and the fact that the museum has over 2,000 pieces that can be cycled in for display.
Panel from a mihrab (Iran, 14th century) The mihrab is meant to be a mosque’s focal point, as it indicates qibla, the direction facing Mecca. Since Muslims traditionally pray in this direction, the mihrab serves an important purpose and is often one of the most detailed parts of the building. The panel is intricately designed with blue and gold engravings. The work on this particular piece makes it impressive to imagine the similarly detailed surrounding panels of the mihrab. These markings accentuate the actual inscribed verse from the Quran which aligns the triangular part of the mihrab indicating direction. Aptly, the verse on this panel reads: “In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate. Perform prayer morning and evening, and in the watches of the night. Behold, good works drive away evil.” The inscription serves not only as a reminder of God’s greatness, but also as a reminder of the prayer that the mihrab encourages.
Canteen (northern Iraq, mid-13th century) This piece is one of the most thought-provoking in the exhibit. The canteen reminds viewers that the exhibit is specifically of the “Islamic World,” as opposed to simply “Islamic Art.” The work reminds us further of the diversity that these regions represent. It does so through its inlaid carvings of silver that explore a plethora of Christian imagery with the virgin and child at its center. This image is circularly surrounded by moments from Christ’s life from the nativity to his entry into Jerusalem. Other images on the canteen also represent Christian saints. It iseems surprising that a piece of such Christian influence comes from a region that is predominantly Muslim. Many objects have been discovered with such Christian tendencies and it is most likely that they come from northern Iraq and Syria’s old Christian communities.
Dishes (Turkey, 16th century) Much about these pieces attempts to imitate the characteristically Chinese blue and white ceramics of the Ming dynasty. Specifically, the displayed bunches of grapes are reminiscent of early 15th-century Chinese work. However, these Turkish works significantly contrast the Chinese ones in that they are made from stone paste and show a greater range in the images portrayed. In fact, just the dishes displayed that portray blue floral images, fruits and intricate geometric patterns are more complex than those of the Chinese. They also incorporate a more diverse color palette with differing blues, teals, and some shades of orange. Even the dishes that are simply blue and white seem to utilize their blues in a diverse fashion. That is, the blue is used in order to accentuate the empty space of the white, but it is also often used heartily as the focal point of the art. Again, these pieces present the diversity in the Islamic world as they display a distinct presence of Eastern influence.
Globe (Syria, mid-15th century) At first, it is difficult to guess what this seemingly perplexing contraption could serve as. However, it has been identified as either a hand warmer or an incense burner. Through a complex system of pivots and its two detachable halves, the gadget allows for the refilling of an internal fire cup and ensures that the cup stays upright. Of course, Middle Eastern weather is rarely cold enough for such things to be necessary, so it is suspected that it was intended for sale in the cooler climates of Europe. Not only is the mechanical design complex, the surrounding silver engravings also give off a sense of structured creations. The artistic design primarily utilizes continuous, contorted lines and small holes allowing for airflow that creates complexity that seems almost more difficult to comprehend than how the contraption itself works.
8 | the guide
All PHOTOS: MICHAEL FIEDOROWICZ/THE HOYA
National Gallery
By Nick Biggs-Chiropolos
The French pieces at the National Gallery of Art show the progression of art in France during the period of the French Revolution, around the 18th and 19th centuries. It begins with lesser-known 18th-century works and moves on to the impressionism and modernism movements, which include more well-known artists such as Monet, Van Gogh and Picasso. The 18th-century paintings from this era were classical and elaborate, containing many colors and details to build a realistic scene. Paintings often depicted the aristocracy in their upscale and slightly more modern lifestyles. The century ended with this predominantly classical style that reinforced the ideals of the revolution and contained more detail and order. In the aftermath of this political upheaval, artists started to use more modern and personal styles to address the issues of the day, which led to the famous impressionist movement in the latter part of the 19th century and eventually the even more modern post-impressionist form. The artistic progression of two centuries of French art and political history can be seen for free in the West Wing of the National Gallery of Art in 13 different rooms.
The Loge (Cassatt)
The Swing (Fragonard)
Mary Cassatt was born in America but spent much of her adult life in France. Her style came in the impressionist era as well as the avant-garde movement as Paris became a modern, glamorous city. “The Loge” shows two young women in a grand theater, which is typical of Cassatt, who liked to focus on the people in the audience rather than the performers. The impressionistic dots create less clarity in the painting than previous French works,but still allow a similar sense of detailed grandeur by showing the curved balconies and chandelier in the background. This painting contains a striking contrast between grandeur and emotional distance by contrasting the grand imagery of this Parisian theater with the pouts of the two young women. One holds a fancy bouquet of flowers, but it sits in her lap as an apparent afterthought to her somber thoughts. The other retreats behind her intricate white Chinese fan. These young ladies come from wealthy families and display this with their stiff, regal posture and disconnected expressions. Rather than creating a purely realistic visual, Cassatt uses the impressionist sense of representation to invoke a certain mood through colors and novel techniques.
In “The Swing,” nature masks the intentions of the painting’s subjects. A young man — barely visible behind the two lion statues between which the lady swings — pushes the swing, which gives him a chance to look up her skirt each time she swings into view. The woman carelessly waves a flower petal as her legs emerge from under the billow of her soft pink dress. Such a scene is classic of the post-Baroque, pre-Enlightenment era of rococo. Jean-Honoré Fragonard uses lighter, more graceful colors than the formalness of Baroque works, which the lighthearted scene of young romance in a garden also reflects. At the same time, the Enlightenment brought about an image and higher morality than paintings such as “The Swing” represented.
The Emperor Napoleon in his Study at Tuileries (David)
“Young Girl Reading’s” intricate dress, pillow and face look very detailed and realistic. However, upon further examination, Fragonard’s bold brushstrokes become apparent in her face, which is more of a melange of off-white and pink colors than a gradual transformation between the two that would look like actual skin, while her hair is a series of curvy strokes. Additionally, he actually scratched the color of her dress into the canvas with the reverse end of his brush, which gives it a sense of detail that does not come from the painting process. The bright yellow of the dress, saffron of her hair ribbon and lilac of the pillow the girl rests on make the painting bold for its era. Despite the more serious manner of a girl reading in solitude, Fragonard managed to insert elements of controversy through his vigorous strokes and scratching. These elements form the “swordplay of the brush,” which many of Fragonard’s contemporaries knew him for, and which ultimately makes the crafting of the painting more notable than its subject. Such a piece is classic of Fragonard’s bold rococo painting style. All PHOTOS: NICK BIGGS-CHIROPOLOS/THE HOYA
This work comes from a neoclassic period of upheaval in France that saw the end of a dynasty of the Bourbon family and the rise and fall of Napoleon around the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. “Napoleon in his Study” presents a grand image of the emperor, showing him regally standing straight and ready to rule in his study. However, on closer examination Napoleon’s shoulders are slightly hunched, his hand hides under his vest and his hair is disheveled. Details such as flickering candles and scattered quills reinforce the disorganization of
Young Girl Reading (Fragonard)
the details. The clock in the background, at 4:13 a.m. reveals the purpose of the image, which is to depict Napoleon in the wee hours of the morning, having drafted the Napoleonic Code all night. Napoleon wears a soldier’s uniform, which is an attribute to his military success. The clear colors and details of Jacques-Louis David’s painting create a regal image that is a stark contrast to the more lighthearted rococo era that occupied much of the 18th century. Other decorative symbols, including a fleur-de-lis, represent Napoleon’s imperial authority through this painting.
art issue | 9
Dumbarton Oaks
By Hannah Kaufman
The Robert Woods Bliss Collection provides a stunning look into the diverse life of pre-Columbian culture. The exhibit is housed in the more recent add-on to the museum which boasts floor-to-ceiling glass windows and is oriented around a central fountain, and its natural imagery of the ancient works is emphasized by the backdrop of the modern architecture. The cultures represented include the Aztec, Inca, Chavin, Nasca and Chimú. While their religious and social values did indeed overlap in important ways, one can discover small idiosyncrasies that vary from region to region while studying their surviving artifacts. This diversity lends itself to an exhibit of remarkable depth and expertise. Pre-Columbian artisans mastered both stone carving and metallurgy, and their rapid experimentation is exemplified by the range of pieces on display. The layout and number of items on display make this collection enjoyable and manageable for all levels of art enthusiasts. Just a Wisconsin GUTS bus ride and a short walk away, the Robert Woods Bliss Collection allows visitors to explore an ancient world of myth and craft in less than two hours.
Trophy Head Vessel (Nasca, 350-450 CE)
Standing Male Figurine Tezcatlipoca (Aztec, 1200-1520 CE) (Inca, 1450-1549 CE)
All humans and animals had a role to play in the layered culture of pre-Columbian societies. The Nascan society from the southern coast of Peru upheld the traditional synthesis of sacred and material beings. The warm yellows and browns of this vessel’s color scheme are deceptively welcoming; in reality, the basin is meant to represent a severed human head. The two lines crossing its lips are cactus spines, and on the reverse side of the pot, a knotted carrying rope is drawn. The face’s redpainted cheekbones place it in the warrior class. Nascan victors often decapitated their war captives and used those heads as an offering to the gods. This violent Nascan ritual was much more involved than a simple fight for glory in war. Animals and human heads were connected with the continuous cycle of life, especially of birth and the creation of new life, which was at the core of this settled agrarian people. A row of upside-down hummingbirds crowns the top of the face, connecting it to the ever-renewing process of life and death that transcended simple slaughter on the battlefield.
The Incas were well-known for their unambiguous, non-figurative imagery. They became expert metallurgists by embracing the metalworking processes brought by craftsmen from the Andean coast. Over time, various compounds were used to increase malleability and enhance certain colors. This piece is a prime example of the more realistic form of Incan art. Although the human is stylized to an extent, its pose and body features retain its recognizably human traits. Its bronze luster and carefully constructed symmetry attest to the skill of Incan artisans. These small figurines held much more importance within Incan society than our modern dolls and action figures; they were used as offerings in Incan shrines. These small objects were also used during a ritual called “Capa Cocha.” This religious practice was centered on human sacrifice, usually of children, in service of the gods. The male figurine would have been buried with the victim to aid in his or her journey to the afterlife.
Deities often took a human form in the complex Aztec religion. This sculpture shows the imposing face of Tezcatlipoca, one of the central Aztec gods. His wide domain includes the night sky and war. It is even said that Tezcatlipoca invented human sacrifice. His name means “Smoking Mirror.,” and aptly carved into either side of his temples are identical mirrors billowing with smoke. Tezcatlipoca’s main festival was the Toxcatl ceremony, and offerings were made throughout the span of the 260-day Aztec calendar. Although figures of Tezcatlipoca were often created with obsidian, this particular piece was crafted with greenstone. The Aztecs held intricate cultural and religious ceremonies, and this sculpted mask could have played a primary role in these rituals. While similar stone creations tended to be rather heavy, they were still used as props and masks during these events in order to invoke the spirit of the gods.
Breastplate with Agnathic Feline Face (ChaVON,400-200BCE) The Chavin and Cupisnique cultures were contemporaries of the Olmecs of Mesoamerica. This engraved plate was made long before much of the Aztec and Inca art displayed in the exhibit, but its level of craftsmanship is just as sophisticated. The Chavin fused together the natural and supernatural in a society where everyday people could access the divine realm through elaborate religious rituals. The plate is a pectoral, meaning that it was worn on the chest as a symbol of religious power and social prestige. The center of the plate depicts a bold feline figure. Two serpents slither from the connected shape of its lower jaw, emphasizing this being’s divine status. Above the feline’s row of gold teeth poke two fangs, which represent a fanged, staffed deity that was central to Chavin religion. Metallurgy was not common practice in this culture, and this beautifully crafted plate was one of the rarer luxuries available to the wealthier class.
10 | the guide
All PHOTOS: HANNAH KAUFMAN/THE HOYA
st. mary in Medieval Art I
associate many cities with paintings that live in them. Long before I moved here in 2006, mention of Washington, D.C. often brought to mind Jan van Eyck’s “Annunciation.” This 3-foot-tall panel was made in the 1430s, centuries before anyone had ever imagined this city. The painting was here when the National Gallery of Art opened in 1941 as part of Andrew Mellon’s founding gift of 152 works — the seeds from which the rest of the collection would grow. Mellon had bought the van Eyck, along with 20 other major old-master paintings, in 1930 from the Hermitage in St. Petersburg. Although he was secretary of the treasury and managing the early devastation of the Great Depression, Mellon was captivated by a unique opportunity to acquire a cache of masterpieces being sold by a cash-strapped Soviet government. Probably made as the left wing of a triptych for an altar, the panel (later transferred to canvas) had come to Russia in 1850 for the collection of Czar Nicholas I after the death of its previous owner, William II, king of the Netherlands. An earlier inventory mentions an “Annunciation” in Dijon that may well have been the one today in Washington, which suggests the patronage of Philip the Good, duke of Burgundy. This would make it the sole surviving work that Jan van Eyck made for the duke, who was one of the most powerful princes and patrons in all of Europe. Far more interesting than its grand pedigree, however, is the painting itself. The Annunciation — the angel Gabriel’s visit to inform the Virgin Mary that she would bear Jesus (Luke 1:26-38) — had long been a standard fixture in European art. But artists recognized endless possibilities of staging and meaning in this deeply familiar encounter. One crucial decision was the setting, which is not specified in the Bible. Where should it happen? Some chose a garden, some a porch, some an urban space, some a room in a house. Van Eyck chose the interior of a church. A few other painters had done so, but never in such richly realized and symbolically charged terms. Mary’s anachronistic occupation of this late-medieval structure embodies a longstanding parallel made between her and Ecclesia, the personification of the Church. But van Eyck’s painting develops these related ideas much further and in innately visual terms. The wall and windows of the upper story belong to an older, Romanesque style, while those below conform to the newer Gothic — modern architecture in van Eyck’s day. High on the wall behind Mary, a single stained-glass window depicting God is flanked by painted scenes from the life of Moses, who is understood as an Old Testament type, or precursor, of Christ. As the dove of the Holy Spirit glides on golden rays from the high windows of the left wall, its descent traces the shift from Old to New Testament. The antiquity of the higher realm is
gently punctuated by van Eyck’s creation of a ceiling in need of repair. Broken boards open black shadows that allow the lights below to shine more brightly. Such shaping of meaning requires calculated relationships. Rather than center Mary in the painting, van Eyck centers her before the back wall on the right side of the image. This aligns her precisely with the image of God above and the three windows behind her — the second of which frames earthly light into a halo. In this position, the windows also embody the Holy Trinity. Its stable radiance anchors what is happening, with the Father glowing above, the Spirit beaming from left and the Son entering the world. The conversation is made as visible as the place, with airborne words gleaming between the figures. Mary’s response is written upside down. This is usually explained as being addressed to the Lord above. But would this artist have thought God needed help to read or hear what Mary had to say? It is more likely that van Eyck, who experimented often with the depiction of language, flipped Mary’s words so that they, like Gabriel’s, could emerge in order. Ave (Hail) and ecce (Behold) are nearest their mouths. There is much more happening here, including an extraordinary program of Old Testament and zodiacal imagery on the inlaid floor of the church that further illuminates the main event. But it would be a mistake to regard the painting only as an ingenious elaboration of theology. Its unprecedented realism, which still manages to astonish in our own age of infinite images, carried other kinds of value. One of them was Jan van Eyck’s implicit claim to be a creator of much more than paintings. He knew his contemporaries would marvel not only at the optical truth of the scene but also at the sheer variety of crafted things that fill it. While Gabriel’s material splendor — including rainbow wings and jeweled vestments for the celebration of Mass — reveals a painter thoroughly conversant with the prized arts of fine weaving and goldsmith work, the rest of the image suggests comparable mastery of sculpture, stained-glass, architecture and more. Even the world beyond the church is almost magically wrought. Notice, for example, the illegible green shapes refracted through the convex glass in the windows behind Mary. The trees in that invisible landscape are not really painted, but are planted perfectly well in our minds. In the Washington “Annunciation,” as in much of his other work, it is as if van Eyck aspired to a comprehensive, almost imperial control of art itself. This would have appealed to the duke of Burgundy, whose own ambitions were famously adorned and fortified by the profound investment of his court in arts of many kinds. Alfred Acres is an Art & Art History professor.
art issue | 11
the guide