Sunday, November 12, 2023

Gaydar - An Ellsworth Kelly Exhibition

 One of a great number of things I love about my life in Chicago is having a membership to the Art Institute and access to all the treasures it houses. I love having the ability to hop on a bus, my senior fare making it almost a free ride, and shortly be surrounded by some of the greatest art in the world. 

Aside from from displaying it's own vast and impressive holdings it also hosts special exhibitions, some large, some small, the give me the opportunity to experience work I might not otherwise get a chance to see. A number of years ago an unfinished Michelangelo sculpture was exhibited. The front was fairly complete, the back raw and rough, chiseling of the stone just begun. I felt as if I was treated to a complete primer on how the master created his works. Some of the works in these special exhibitions come from private collections; which has always set up a scenario in my head of a dowager inquiring of her maid "Did you dust the Van Gogh? What about the Monet in the 3rd floor guest bath?"; meaning, that unless you are considerably well heeled, I am definitely NOKD to such people, it is, again, a once in a lifetime opportunity to view them. For a period of time the museum had 2 large scale modern works on display, a Rothko and a Basquiat. They were on loan from a man while he completed his house in Florida. After it was finished he took them back. Some people are so selfish. 

So, on a day when I had not much to do, I went to see an exhibition of works on paper by Ellsworth Kelly. The Art Institute has one of his works prominently displayed in the hallway of the American Wing. I have never cared for it. I find it trite and pretentious. However, I learned long ago a single work does not give one an understanding of an artist's vision so I decided to give the exhibition a look. 

In the first gallery I was immediately impressed with the work I saw from the early part of his career. I was particularly enraptured by a close to life size self portrait of the artist as a young man. The second gallery contained sketches of predominately handsome young men. My Gaydar has never been the best but it suddenly went off. There was a subtle, sensual masculinity about the way the subjects were rendered. Handsome faces, rounded biceps bared by tee shirts with slightly too short sleeves. I took out my phone and googled Mr. Kelly. He was indeed gay, unabashedly so apparently. For several years he lived with fellow artist Robert Indiana. And, as if there were any doubt left regarding the sexual orientation of Mr. Kelly, in the third galley we come to the sketches of a bevy of shirtless, hunky, exceedingly handsome men. I almost felt as if I had been transported to a gay bar circa 1977.

His widower Jack Shears, who he was with for a number of decades, runs the Ellsworth Kelly Foundation, which loaned most of the works on display.  In 2023, in honor of what would have been Kelly's 100th birthday, the foundation made a number of donations, as well as gifts of works on paper, to several museums. The Art Institute received 25, many of which were on featured in the exhibition.

Before I left the exhibit I texted my longtime friend, who just recently retired from his position of doing installation at the museum, asking if he had seen it. He had and was as impressed as I. He went on to mention that he had once met Kelly when he had visited the Art Institute and described him as "super nice" with "no pretentions". I texted back 'I hate you."



Saturday, October 28, 2023

Santa Fe 2023

 As I laid by the pool enjoying the September warmth on our last day I realized that if I lived here I would probably take on the hue of an acorn. I soaked it up knowing that I was returning to a Midwest fall. The colors can be glorious but as fall moves into winter I know I would be yearning for this come March or April.

We noticed a commitment to solar energy as we drove through the desert. In sunny climes this only makes sense. New Mexico is known as a fairly progressive, albeit somewhat poor, state. That being said, by the end of our stay I was about adobed out. It was difficult in town to discern what was  what was historical and what was not. The Governor's Palace is 17th century, the Art Museum early 20th. Yet both look as if they are contemporaries of one another. The Art Museum is built in the Pueblo Revival style, an architectural movement I was unaware of prior to this trip. In attempting to pay homage to the past the city, on occasion, succumbs to what borders on monotony. 

I have great respect for the ancient dwellings and public buildings we witnessed, in the city as well as Taos. It was illuminating to see the straw, that gave structural integrity to the venerable structures, mixed with the mud used to build them. To see the rough hewn wood beams, a simple yet effective way of holding up ceilings as well as the floors of multistory structures such as the 1000 year old Taos Pueblos. It was an impressive way of building with what was on hand and  I was intrigued with how effective those methods were at shielding people from the sometimes inhospitable climate. 

Traditions were evident. In many public buildings there were almost identical wooden buttresses at the ends of the ceiling  beams. Churches were simple as apposed to the gaudy showplaces of other house of worship I have visited.

 We witnessed the drop in temperature inside of the shops housed in the adobe homes in Taos Pueblo. We appreciated the large outdoor ovens, also created with the simple and somewhat primative yet effective adobe. 

The city of Santa Fe holds it's fair share of charm. But I am spoiled. I live in a living museum of architecture which spans the late 19th, all of the 20th and the first quarter of the 21st century. Sometimes I need a reminder of how fortunate I am. 

Sunday, October 22, 2023

A Sunday in Santa Fe 2023

 As we sit down to breakfast church Sunday morning bells rang out across the plaza calling the faithful to worship. Despite their religious connotations, I have very mixed feelings about organized as well as disorganized, religion. it is a sound I have always loved. It brought to mind a moment the previous summer of bells pealing as I walked barefoot across the sand of my neighborhood beach in Chicago. Somehow the sound replenishes a portion of my soul depleted by the rigors of everyday life. 

After breakfast we wandered around a bit. I finally found a turquoise ring I liked that was within my budget. I had lost hope. Even the pieces spread on blankets on the sidewalks under the arcades being sold by Native Americans were pricy, what was in the stores was untouchable for one of our means.

We had a reservation for the Georgia O'Keefe museum later in the afternoon. We phoned to see if they could accommodate us earlier. They said yes so we walked over. Reservations are advised due to the museums relatively small size. 

Although the artist is not a personal favorite of mine I have always liked her pallet. It was interesting to see how her surroundings, some the places we had visited over the past few days, inspired her work. Her blues were reflections of the brilliant, sunny skies of the southwest. There is a certain freshness to the air in Santa Fe, perhaps because of it's high altitude. Her browns seemed inspired by the earth and the ubiquitous adobe pueblo style buildings. Her style ranged from representational to abstract to symbolic. In one gallery there is  a cloudscape that seems almost a study of a massive work that hangs in Chicago's Art Institute. My favorite piece was a striking nighttime cityscape from her period when she lived in New York City. I'm a city boy at heart, asphalt runs in my veins. 

There is an interesting concept to the museum. There are two galleries at the back where some of her personal possessions are on display. Clothing, kitchen wares, some of her art supplies. In one vitrine is a pin with her initials designed by Alexander Calder and a wide brimmed black hat she can often be seen wearing in photographs. These galleries serve to humanize the artist. It gives insight into the entirety of her life of which art was only a part.

 My frustration with the institution stemmed from the museum apparently hold a large amount of work yet it's small size only allows a sampling of the holdings to be shown at any one time. Despite this it does serve as a monument to a uniquely American artist.


Wednesday, October 11, 2023

Governors Palace and The Santa Fe Museum of Art September 2023

 On our first day we purchased a Culture Pass which gave us entry into several Santa Fe Museums.  We showered, dressed and were on our way until we stepped outside and realized that our summer shorts and sandals motif was inappropriate for the weather which had turned sharply colder due to cloud cover. Running back to the room we changed to more suitable attire and, once again, were on our way. We joked about how stereotypically gay our fashion change was.

After breakfast we took a stroll around the plaza looking at art, jewelry, crafts and western style clothing that was out of our price range before heading to the Governors Place. Although the young man at the desk was pleasant the palace itself was a disappointment. There were only 2 small, rather mundane exhibits open as much of the venerable structure, it dates from 1610, was closed due to renovations.

Undaunted we moved on to the Santa Fe Museum of Art. The museum is an example of early 20th century Pueblo Revival architecture. It is often difficult to tell that which is relatively modern from that which is centuries old in the city. Upstairs is a nice collection of Southwestern art and furniture. On the first floor was an exhibit of contemporary glass. I was rather proud of myself when I saw a piece across the floor and thought "that looks like Chihuly." It was indeed a piece by the renown glass artist. I've been fortunate enough to see two of his site specific exhibitions over the years. 

Possessing a sometimes annoyingly curious mind, it is always a thrill to me to find out about something or someone I was previously unaware of. There was an exhibition called An American in Paris. It had nothing to do with the movie. It focused on the work of an artist named Donald Beauregard. He studied the impressionists in Paris and was deeply influenced by them. He, to some degree unabashedly, appropriated their style outright yet manifested a mastery of technique. He died of cancer at the age of 29. Before leaving we visited the museum's auditorium which has murals designed by him but completed by others due to his untimely death. His style at that point showed an Art Nouveau influence which melded beautifully with the dark grace of the serene room. I pondered that, had he lived, would his mastery of technique have overtaken his mimicry of style and transitioned into an important and distinct voice.  

I try not to think about it very much because it is rather depressing but I wonder what we have lost that might have been had death not intervened. Then again, maybe some artists and performers had more talent then a human body can survive. Were they not so forceful that they may have brought themselves to an early end they would not have been them. 





Saturday, October 7, 2023

The Petroglyph National Monument September 2023

 W returned to the outskirts of Albuquerque to visit the Petroglyph National Monument. The rock carvings are estimated to be 400 to 700 years old. They are etched into volcanic rock that was created by prehistoric fissure eruptions. The area is considered sacred by the native people that originally inhabited the area. Today that sacred area sits across from a subdivision of the stucco tract houses that are ubiquitous in the southwestern U.S. 

Our first stop was the visitors center where we were provided with maps of the various trails that wind through the monument and directions to their starting points. I look up and see the type of  hawk gliding above the parking lot whose beautiful black and white wingspan have been recreated countless times over the centuries in art, textiles, basketry, pottery and jewelry. 

We decided on the Piedras Marcadas Canyon trail where the petroglyphs are the most closely concentrated. We  laughed at the directions to the trail site which told us to turn left at the Sonic fast food outlet. The parking lot for the trailhead is located behind the Valvoline oil change station. I find it kind of sad that so many of the nation's natural treasures are almost only accessible by private car. 

Leaving Valvoline behind us we hit the trail. After a short trek we began to see the carvings etched into the tumble of rocks. In spots they travel far up the black stone walls. We jokingly refer to them as 700 year old graffiti. The meanings of the symbols are lost to time. Some may only hold meaning to the one that carved them centuries ago. One in particular seems to tell a story but what that story is is anyone's guess.

Along the way I hear a couple remark on the Chicago Fire Department tee shirt my husband is wearing. A brief conversation with them reveals that they are from the north west suburbs of Chicago. 

The sun is bright and hot. One man is wearing a safari hat with sun shield veils on its sides, a long sleeve shirt and shorts. His calves are dark brown. I thought about what his tanline must look like. There is the well known farmer tan, I don't know if there is a word for a calf tan.


Taos, The Gorge Bridge September 0223

 Our final stop in Taos was the Gorge Bridge. Several people during my pre trip research had mentioned the George Bridge as a must see. Online photos show a bridge, nothing more. However, deciding locals would be likely to know what's what and it being so highly recommended, we decided to place it on our list. 

It is not the bridge, it is what it spans. Far, far below the Rio Grande flows. It is rather shallow this late in the season but bare rock on either bank give an indication of what is is like at it's highest level. Sunlight plays on the steep, rugged stone walls. We were once again amazed and humbled at the thought of the millennia it has taken for the river to wear away the earth and create this spectacular sight. 

There are places on the bridge where it juts out to afford the visitor a better look at the breathtaking manifestation of the power of water, time and nature. In a move simultaneously heartbreaking, humanizing and macabre, there are terminals at each overlook giving those considering ending their lives by jumping over the side of the bridge a last opportunity to contact the help they may need to change their decision.  If a button is pushed they are able to speak to someone about what has brought them to that moment. 

In these tumultuous, politically and socially divided and benighted times it gives me hope that we have not yet completely divorced ourselves from compassion, kindness and caring for others.

Friday, October 6, 2023

Taos Pueblo September 2023

 We drove through the town of Taos. From the car we saw blocks of adobe buildings containing art galleries and shops. It is a place for people above our pay grade to while away time surrounded by history. 

We headed to the Taos Pueblo. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A small river runs between multistory adobe structures, some estimated at 1000 to 1200 years old. They have been continuously inhabited by the same families, the dwellings are passed down generation to generation. Some of the dwellings have been turned into shops selling crafts created by the local Native American people. Several signs remind visitors that this is a place where people live and to  show respect to their homes. 

We realized the effectiveness of adobe as a building material when we commented to one gentleman in his small shop how cool it was compared to the much warmer temperatures outside. He said that in the summer months, we were there in September, the difference was even more noticeable. All the structures we were in had small skylights. I believe these were originally the escape for the smoke from the fires that helped keep warm them in the winter. 

As we walked through the area we were awed by the thought of the history this settlement had witnessed. In the U.S. this type of antiquity is virtually nonexistent. There are some ancient ruins left behind by early people who, for reasons unknown, moved on, but this special place has managed, somehow to survive.