A painter, sculptor, photographer, poet…

2 Oct
2009

chicago-art-institute art-institute-036We visited the new modern wing of The Art Institute of Chicago today. It’s an excellent addition to an already astounding collection of fine art. Adam and I were particularly taken with the Cy Twombly exhibit. Twombly was born in 1928, and this exhibit, called The Natural World, includes work from 2000-2007. It’s beautifully diverse work, let alone from an old man, created in a reasonably short span of time. This exhibit will be finished on October 11, so check it out if you have the chance.

I know abstract, modern art isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, and it hasn’t always been mine. There’s still a lot of stuff I don’t get (like the “film” upstairs in the permanent collection of a clown screaming “NOOOO!!!” over and over… huh?), but I’m getting a lot more out of abstract modern art, the more I see. I thought I’d share some of my observations about the Twombly exhibit and why I thought it was so engaging.

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First of all, I love people who won’t be pigeonholed. Just as it’s impossible to fully define ourselves by the work that we do (I’m a lawyer, I’m a teacher, I’m a fireman), I think it’s an injustice for a creative to have to say only, I’m a painter, I’m a sculptor, I’m a guitarist.

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Cy Twobly’s exhibit includes sculpture; photography; and paintings on paper, board, canvas, with acrylic, tempera, oil, mixed media; with highly abstract pieces composed of blobs and drips, slightly more figurative floral pieces, and abstractions of text as form. He even scrawled poetry onto a couple of pieces, including an ancient haiku about a samurai. It’s diverse stuff.

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As we were approaching the exit, a man near us shook his head, laughed and said about Twombly’s work, “He had fun doin’ it!” He clearly did.

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Love from Chicago,

-Jessica

6 Responses to A painter, sculptor, photographer, poet…

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Jessica

October 2nd, 2009 at 5:29 pm

Twombly is so many things. So am I. I’d say that I’m a singer, a writer, a reader, a feeler, a craft maker, a decorator, a hostess, a networker, an editor, an actor, a traveler, a dancer, a dreamer.

So, what are you?

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Adam

October 3rd, 2009 at 1:04 am

Great post, Jessi. I think you are so right about avoiding the limitations of wearing only one hat in this life. I know I’ve always admired the ideal of the ‘Renaissance Man,’ and aspired to it in my own life.

Well, as far as making goes, I’m a visual an artist, a painter, an artisan, a designer, a photographer, a writer, a poet, an actor, a dancer, a host, a philosopher, a library-builder and a very occasional cook. My parents have always tried anything and everything that struck their creative fancy, so I think I get it honestly.

My dad is a graphic designer by trade, but he also worked professionally as a photographer, illustrator and calligrapher. On his own time, I’ve seen him create 1790′s period clothes and equipment, create sculpture from old machines, build model catapults from scratch, paint landscapes in oil, make ships in bottles and on and on.

Mom is just as prolific, but she has always been the ‘lace’ to his ‘leather.’ She is a professional portrait painter in pastels and oils, but she’s also a gourmet cook, a tailor of Victorian clothing, a home decorator, an expert gardener, built intricate dollhouses, designer of floral china patterns and so many other beautiful, feminine things.

I’ve seen with them, and in my own experience, that each of these various experiences and experiments enriches all of the others, so that our core passions and talents are deepened, not lessened by spending time working in other areas.

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Pauline

October 3rd, 2009 at 5:29 pm

Jessica this was so inspirational.

I often shy away from these labels and find it rather stifling to say the least.I have come to lable myself as artist,poet,conceptual and performance artist,singer,songwriter,friend,animal lover bla bla…but none of the defines me..I struggle with the box idea.I struggle with being a ‘poppie” the Afrikaans word for very lady like pretentious business like ladies.lol.

I find that I am ..lost.and then found..always somewhere else..Mostly in my own little dream land.Twibly’s art really challenges my own idea of art..making..I am in so many ways limited with my own paint application..the fear of it loosing value over time…with the medium fading away and loosing its quality.

I envy his honesty and hope that I can escape some of these boxes myself…what do you think?

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Pauline

October 3rd, 2009 at 5:39 pm

oops///lol//I met Twombly…

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Jessica

October 4th, 2009 at 12:37 am

Thanks so much for sharing, Pauline. That’s an interesting thought about the fear of your art losing value/quality over time. I definitely have the fear of my work just adding to the noise or becoming obsolete.

I’m finding the difference for me to be that if I got pure pleasure out of the process of creating, I don’t have as much angst over what will become of it after I release it into the world. Firstly, because I think the love of the act of creating shows through in the work (like that guy saying of Twombly’s work, “He had fun doin’ it.”). And also, I think there’s the peace that even if nothing seemingly comes from my work, at least I’ve derived pleasure from the act of creating, and I think that’s worth a lot.

What do you think?

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janeen laughbaum

October 5th, 2009 at 12:29 pm

Beautifully done Jessi! A well written and very” appealing- to -the- eye review”. I too love this Artist’s work!!!! ( certainly new to me) Love seeing such a Fresh- Feeling style. It lifts my spirit. Also agree with everything else you said . Was quite humbled by your husband’s comments too!!!!!

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