Monday, May 08, 2006
Two Noteworthy Exhibits At the Getty
I was selfishly indulgent this past weekend as I blew off all of my chores (laundry be damned) in favor of a Steve Forbert concert, several fabulous art exhibits and a lovely hike in the mountains to a 30 foot waterfall (Trail Canyon Trail near Tujunga).
The concert was at the Getty Center where I was able to enjoy two exhibits before the show. The first was a rare showing of landscape works by Gustave Courbet. The man was brilliant. He really was a bridge between the traditionalists and the impressionists. It was fascinating to get up close and see how he composed his works. I really wish I had been able to share the experience with Helga. I think she would have enjoyed studying the abstract nature of some of his work.
The second exhibit at the Getty comprised works by James Ensor around his monumental Christ's Entry Into Brussels which is in the Getty's permanent collection (and is my favorite piece at the Getty - I try to view it each time I visit). Ensor created art of vivid imagination and sharp social criticism. None more so than a piece that was so shocking I was surprised it was included at all - Doctrinal Nourishment. Figures representing the church, the king of Belgium, the state government and the military sit high on a wall with their backs to the audience. They are
crapping into the mouths of the people below. The people appear to be well-norished by what they are fed by these authority figures and are eager for more. A telling image for modern times as well, perhaps. I would love to see the reaction if THAT picture made it onto a newspaper editorial page.
If you cannot view the image at left, you can also see it at http://www.villagevoice.com/art/0122,saltz,25125,13.html
The concert was at the Getty Center where I was able to enjoy two exhibits before the show. The first was a rare showing of landscape works by Gustave Courbet. The man was brilliant. He really was a bridge between the traditionalists and the impressionists. It was fascinating to get up close and see how he composed his works. I really wish I had been able to share the experience with Helga. I think she would have enjoyed studying the abstract nature of some of his work.
The second exhibit at the Getty comprised works by James Ensor around his monumental Christ's Entry Into Brussels which is in the Getty's permanent collection (and is my favorite piece at the Getty - I try to view it each time I visit). Ensor created art of vivid imagination and sharp social criticism. None more so than a piece that was so shocking I was surprised it was included at all - Doctrinal Nourishment. Figures representing the church, the king of Belgium, the state government and the military sit high on a wall with their backs to the audience. They are
crapping into the mouths of the people below. The people appear to be well-norished by what they are fed by these authority figures and are eager for more. A telling image for modern times as well, perhaps. I would love to see the reaction if THAT picture made it onto a newspaper editorial page.If you cannot view the image at left, you can also see it at http://www.villagevoice.com/art/0122,saltz,25125,13.html
