Jackson Pollock

Love him or hate him, Jackson Pollock is one of the most talked about artists in history. His art has been studied, dissected, discussed and criticized, but there's no doubt that he was influential in the abstract expressionist movement that swept America in the 1940's. Famous for being a tortured alcoholic who purportedly poured his subconscious onto canvases while fans, photographers and critics watched, Pollock certainly made his mark as an artist.

It's not uncommon in any gallery or museum to hear someone say, "I could do that," when looking at a piece of art work, and when it comes to the paintings of Jackson Pollock, this seems to happen more. But assuming one can do it and actually doing it are two very different things. What most people fail to realize it that Jackson Pollock studied art before he stepped into the world of abstract expressionism. It's as if he had to learn and practice the rules in order to know how to break them. To anyone who believes that he could create something like a Pollock, I encourage him to try.

One can see the influence of Pollock's teacher, Thomas Hart Benton, on his early work.

For Pollock, painting was about the technique as much as the end result. He studied methods of sand painting and muralists in order to perfect his own drip technique. In the end, though, he stated, "It doesn't make much difference how the paint is put on as long as something has been said. Technique is just a means of arriving at a statement." Still, it was important for him to create a technique that could deliver his statement in the best possible way. Pollock described his experiences paintings as almost trance like. He wanted to become part of the work and let any expression move through him onto the canvas. In turn, abstract expressionism influenced many major art movements including pop art, lyrical abstraction, postminimalism, color field painting, tachisme and others. Rather than capturing images, abstract impressionists were out to capture events and emotions. What to some may appear haphazard is actually something deeper, a moment in time frozen on the canvas. It is with this understanding that a viewer can truly appreciate and get lost in Pollock's paintings.

Pollock's progression to abstract art:

Landscape with Steer

Red and Blue

Moon woman

More videos!

More videos for your viewing enjoyment. Thank you Booooooom for pointing out two of these videos:

Sand art:

A short film. Be sure to watch to the end:

Kilian Martin Skates:

And now doubles:

Some stop animation:

Picasso Controversy

Picasso on display again

It looks like the Picasso print at the Edinburgh airport in Scotland has been uncovered after it was originally covered up when some complaints from passengers were received. This isn't the first time a Picasso has sent ripples of concern through the viewing public. In fact, his Les Demoiselles d'Avignon painting was met with shock the first time it was presented to his audience.

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon

We often think that the first amendment protects artists from censorship, but that's only partly true. The reality is that any privately-owned business can, without any real consequences, refuse to display a piece of art or take down a piece of art if complaints are received by clients. If, however, the business were receiving government assistance or funding, this might not be the case. Any time the government is involved, then first amendment rights are put into play.

In one controversial move more recently, the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery removed a video that was part of an exhibit featuring gay and lesbian art, the first of its kind. As a result, The Museum of Censored Art was created. Taken from their website, their mission is stated as the following:

THE MUSEUM OF CENSORED ART EXISTS TO:

• Restore the art censored by the Smithsonian to the exhibit from which it was removed
• Keep art censored by the Smithsonian visible and accessible to the public
• Hold the Smithsonian accountable for its actions

THE STORY OF CENSORSHIP AT THE SMITHSONIAN

On October 30, 2010, the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery opened “Hide/Seek,” the first exhibition of gay and lesbian art ever to appear in a major American museum. While the exhibition caused no complaints from museum visitors, it attracted the attention of anti-gay activists, who falsely portrayed the exhibit as “anti-Christian.”

One work in particular, a 4-minute video criticizing society’s indifference toward AIDS that included 11 seconds of an ant-covered crucifix, drew particular ire from the anti-gay groups.

To appease his critics, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution G. Wayne Clough removed the video less than 24 hours after the initial protest.

We feel that Clough made a wrong and shameful decision to marginalize the work of an already marginalized gay artist from an exhibition whose very theme is marginalization. We are screening “A Fire in My Belly” in the Museum of Censored Art (a trailer we have set up outside the National Portrait Gallery) so visitors to “Hide/Seek” will still be able to see the exhibit in its entirety.

Censorship in art is complicated for many reasons. Even finding a way to agree on how art is defined is difficult, so creating laws around it is a big challenge. More and more, a better understanding of freedom of expression is being revealed with the only constraints being limitations around animal cruelty, offensive creations and hate speech. While some may find these constraints upsetting, most agree that responsible speech is often better than simply expression for the sake of expression or shock only, and when art presentations harm an individual or an animal, few people would agree that this is a good thing, even if it's legally within the rights of the artist. It's a slippery slope though, and nobody wants to hinder art in a way that censors creativity. As laws continue to change and evolve, the way art is presented also changes. It's impossible for any artist to avoid considering how his art will affect others. When it comes to imagination, it's important to be able to push the envelope without blatantly antagonizing viewers. In this way, an artist can be expressive but still have his message heard. Fortunately, very few people think that the Picasso in the airport in Scotland was truly offensive, so it will remain uncovered for all to see.

The Barnes Exhibit

Tonight, PBS will be airing a show featuring the Barnes Exhibit.

Though he grew up in a working-class family, Albert Coombs Barnes achieved much success after attaining his medical degree when he went into chemistry and pharmaceuticals, developing Argyrol, an antiseptic silver compound used to prevent blindness in infants and also used as an anit-gonorrhea drug. As his company grew, Barnes began to collect art from around the world. He also developed theories about how art influenced learning. Barnes made quite a lot of money when he sold his company. In 1922, he established the Barnes Foundation, an institution dedicated to promoting the advancement of both education and appreciation of the fine arts.

Today the exhibit contains more than 2,500 art pieces. The collection is filed with outstanding pieces of work by some of the most influential artists in history.

For more information about the Barnes Exhibit, please visit the Barnes Foundation website at: http://www.barnesfoundation.org/

Below are just a few paintings included in the exhibit.

Amedeo Modigliani Jeanne Hebuterne

 

Claude Monet Camille au metier

Georges Seurat Two Sailboats at Grandcamp

Henri de Toulouse Lautrec A Montrouge Rosa

Henri Matisse The Music Lesson

Henri Rousseau Éclaireurs attaqués par un tigre

Honore Daumier Les Ribaudes

Pablo Picasso Jeune femme tenant une cigarette

Paul Cezanne Léda au cygne

Auguste Renoir Before the Bath

Futurism

This isn't exactly a post on futurism, but it's along the same lines. When I think of futurism, things that are fast paced and anything relating to technology come to mind. The futurism movement in the early 1900's focused on getting away from anything considered old. People in the movement wanted change and to move away from concepts and methods used in the past. They liked originality. In short, they were the hipsters of their time, only far more passionate and without the tight tee-shirts. Futurism is a movement I'm fond of, because it had a strong influence on other movements such as but not limited to surrealism, vorticism, Dada and Art Deco. While it's not truly expressionism, there is an emphasis on free expression in the movement, and there are many artists today who have been inspired by the concepts of futurism.

Umberto Boccioni
'Unique Forms Of Continuity In Space'

 

Taking the idea of the future one step further, to a point where man has ceased to exist in his concrete jungle, and nature has reemerged to claim its territory, is a common theme in literature and art. Though the T.V. show, Life After People, wasn't a big hit, the theme of the show was exactly what many artists attempt to convey. In the photo below, the artist took a series of images of a house over the years as grasses, vines and moss grew over it. The image of in the middle of the series, before the house was engulfed by foliage.

Another example of Nature taking over.

Foliage on the garage

Greenery moves into the rubble

Plants growing up the wall

A flower emerges!

Nature taking over a rusting car

At SmithKlein Gallery, there are several paintings by Michael Shankman with nature taking over as a theme. Below are just two examples:

Prospector

Dream Home

Cats in art

Humans have had a relationship with cats that dates back over 9,500 years. There is evidence that cats were domesticated as early as 7,500 BC. Cats have provided a service to man by killing unwanted pests, and in Egypt, cats were even revered as creatures supposedly loved by the gods. Throughout the years, many artists have depicted cats in paintings and sculptures. Today, there is even SOFA, The Society of Feline Artists, for people who are inspired and drawn to cats in art. 


Those who have visited SmithKlein Gallery may have noticed that we carry a large selection of dog and horse art, but we also have a sizable cat collection available. 

Louise Peterson - Louise is fortunate to be living her dream with her husband, Chris, near the small town of Guffey, Colorado. She spends her time hiking with her Great Danes, horse riding, spoiling her three cats and seven goats, sculpting in her studio and operating the business of her art which often involves traveling to interesting places.
 

"Lethal Weapons"

"Puppy Love"

"Leap of Faith"

CC Barton - C.C. Barton is an award winning artist who works in printmaking and painting, as well as graphite. Her primary interest is in expressing the essence of a particular form. Whether the subject is botanical, animal, or architectural, she strives for balance, grace and simplicity in the finished piece. She is a writer as well, and has included thoughtfully crafted poetry and prose as a companion to some of her images, allowing the viewer an experience of deeper emotional texture. She is represented by galleries in the west, southwest and eastern United States, and her work hangs in private and corporate collections both at home and abroad.

"Baby Jack"

"Entre Nous II"

"Entre Nous I"

Robert Deurloo - Robert Deurloo lives surrounded by rugged mountains, which are inhabited by the animals he sculpts, this postcard-perfect chunk of land is an ideal place for inspiration as a wildlife artist. His sculptures are cast from molten bronze, but due to an elaborate and exotic patina process, they appear to be chiseled from the granite of the Sawtooth Mountains. A combination of intense heat and various acids and minerals produce the polished stone patinas. A self-taught artist, his style blossoms from within, rather than forged by external teachings. He has learned over his 25 year career that capturing every detail in a sculpture can actually detract from the impact of the piece. An exquisite form, combined with a little mystery, will not only capture the spirit of the animal, but will allow a viewer to bring their own experiences to play in the appreciation of his works of art.

"Prowler"

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More cat images by artists not in the gallery:

Toulouse-Lautrec

by Bruno Liljefors

Marilyn Robertson

Anonymous

Egyptian Sculpture, bronze, 6th BC.

Franz Marc

Renoir

renoir

Matisse

 Hu Chan

Absinthe Bourgeois

Pap the question!

Smithklein Gallery is very happy to announce that we are among the jewelers listed on the www.papthequestion.com website!

Not too long ago, a man came into the gallery and asked if we might help him create the perfect setting in which he could propose to his fiancee. We were thrilled to assist, so we got together and started plotting. In the end, we hung a blank canvas, put flowers out and set the ring on a pedestal under the canvas. The title of the blank piece of work had something to do with the future, the idea that it's a blank canvas that the two of them can paint together. We secretly took photos and filmed the event. It was really fun and exciting not just for the lovely lady receiving the engagement ring, but for everyone in the gallery. The proposal went off without a hitch, and the happy couple now has photos and a video of the wonderful occasion.

With Pap the question, this kind of special affair can now be captured by professional photographers and videographers.

From their website, here is how it works:

• We will spend as much time as you need to go through the planned proposal so we know exactly where and when you will be coming. Having talked with you, we will know where to be positioned and will get pictures of you and your partner as you build up to the proposal. Then as you arrive at your perfect location for the proposal, we will be in place to capture the occasion.
•  With cameras snapping we will record the reaction and the "YES"! As you take time to put the ring on their finger we will capture this special moment for you and your partner to look back in years to come and smile.
•  As you walk away smiling and looking at the ring we take some after shots. All of this is done without any knowledge of us being there.
•  We then edit and send you the proposal prints and a DVD of the images so you can always remember the amazing moment. Friends and family can then share, smile and celebrate your announcement on our website and facebook page.

For more information, visit their website at the following link: http://www.papthequestion.com/ 

SmithKlein Gallery has a beautiful selection of engagement rings for the special occasion. Below is a small sampling.

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BG Art

Todd Reed

Todd Reed

Todd Reed

Sarah Graham

Sarah Graham

Fullerton-Bahr

Ayesha Mayadas

Martha Sullivan

David Ronnie