Frida Still Making Waves

I just read about the Frida Kahlo retrospective in Berlin that continues to attract large numbers of art lovers. According to a recent article, over 300,000 have seen this exhibit so far. It is expected that thousands more will be standing in line to see exhibit that will be on display at until August 9, 2010 at the Martin-Gropus Bau in Germany.

Kahlo has always been very popular and exhibits have usually brought in lots of followers and admirers. What makes this exhibit different, I believe is that there is work being shown that has never been seen by the public before. I am always amazed that an art organizers state that the artist work that was “assumed to be lost” is now found and will be shown. It seems like a very convenient way to maintain interest. Some of her last paintings, supposedly, done late in her life are being exhibited.

A few years ago, in commemoration of the death of Kahlo over 300 works of art were presented at the Frida Kahlo: The Forest of Images exhibition. Some of the paintings from this exhibit portray Kahlos imaginative and personal world. Frida Kahlo provides an amazing colorful representation of the Mexican people and their lives and this is found in the complexity of her early work.

Mexican art has increased in popularity over the last few years and Frida Kahlo has been one of the major reasons. From all indications this new exhibit in Germany will delight all who are admirers of Frida Kahlo.



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Turner's New Price Tag

I just read where an auction house sold a painting by JMW Turner for a large amount of money. Turner's painting was sold to the J. Paul Getty Museum for a record amount . The painting was an 1839 masterpiece, Modern Rome- Camp Vaccino, and was part of a private collection until recently.

Always fascinated by nature, Turner surprisingly began painting with watercolors at an early age. He first exhibited at the Royal Academy of London at the age of 15. His landscape and rural scenes were popular from the very beginning. Later, in Turner's career, the abstract work became the primary focus. It has been reported that the great work produced by Turner in his years was not often offered for sale. This may explain why the recently purchased masterpiece of Rome has just now serviced and will be available for public viewing.

The work of this great master is amazing. I have had an opportunity to view up close several paintings by this artist. The Indianapolis Museum of art houses one of the largest collections of Turner’s paintings. The Panzer collection, a gift from an attorney, was acquired in 1957. One of the most outstanding in the collection, I believe, is the The Fifth Plague of Egypt, an oil on canvas. This large painting, in my opinion, sets Turner above all others. This painting reflects the imagination of the artist. Turner’s abstract watercolors have also been favorites.

If you would like to view more of Turner’s work and unable to visit a museum, there are several great art books available that offer not only insight into this great artist but provide a pictorial view of his major work.



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Art in the Park Collaboration

I previously wrote about the grand opening of 100 Acres: The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park at the Indianapolis Museum of Art and the evolving nature of art and nature. One of the most intriguing art installations in the art and nature park is Type A, a 2-man collaborative sculpture.

Type A Team Building (Align), consists of two 30 foot-wide metal rings suspended from telephone poles and trees. The sculpture is constructed so that the rings reflected shadows become one during the annual summer solstice. I viewed this structure 2 days before solstice. The shadows of the rings were close.

This piece of art work took a couple of yours to plan and is the result of the collaboration of the museum staff and artists to designate the time of alignment. This sculpture is very reflective of what the planners had in mine this site-a park where both the changing nature and art can be experienced. It will be interesting to view this art sculpture and others in different seasons of the year to see how the landscape, wildlife and artworks change.



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