Munch Paintings Recovered

Edvard Munch’s iconic painting of existential angst, The Scream (1893) (at right, top), and his Madonna (1894-5) (at right, bottom) were recovered today in Norway. The two early Expressionist paintings were stolen from the Munch Museum in Oslo just over two years ago in August 2004.


New York Times:

Art lovers and public officials said they were relieved not only by the paintings’ recovery but also by the relative lack of damage. Last year, the tabloid newspaper Dagbladet had quoted underworld sources as saying, “The paintings are burned up.”

Iver Stensrud, the assistant chief of the Oslo police, said on Thursday, “I have seen the pictures myself, and as for damages, they are far from what we really could have feared.”

Erling Lae, the commissioner of Oslo’s city government, was more specific after meeting with administrators of the Munch Museum, where the pictures were stolen in broad daylight on Aug. 22, 2004, as tourists cowered on the floor.

“We know that both pictures have been handled roughly and that ‘Madonna’ has received a scratch or gouge, but I have been informed that the damages are not irreparable,” he said. “The experience of seeing these works of art will be as great as it was before. What an incredible joy and relief.”

Last Chance Exhibitions

We were lucky to have some excellent art exhibitions in Southern California this summer. If you haven't viewed them yet, go now, many are coming to a close soon.

Translucence: Southern California Art from the 1960s and 1970s

Closing August 28, 2006

The Norton Simon Museum presents a visually stunning exhibition investigating the extraordinary sculptural creations of ten artists working in Southern California in the 1960s and 1970s. Frequently referred to as being part of the Light and Space or L.A. Glass and Plastic movements, these artists pioneered the use of industrial materials such as cast acrylic, glass, Plexiglas and polyester resin in art, creating objects that were innovative and technically impressive. While their work is varied in concept and approach, they shared an underlying interest in capturing and manipulating light to present shifting realities and perceptions.


David Hockney Portraits

Closing September 4, 2006

Los Angeles County Museum of Art presents David Hockney Portraits, the first exhibition devoted solely to Hockney’s portraiture, one of the most significant facets of his work. Organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and the National Portrait Gallery, London, in collaboration with LACMA and senior curator Stephanie Barron, the groundbreaking exhibition surveys half a century of the artist's career, revealing some of his most profound compositions, new and old.


Robert Rauschenberg: Combines

Closing September 4, 2006

Museum of Contemporary Art. The most complete survey of these unique works ever mounted, this exhibition features more than 70 key Combines created between 1954–1964, an exceptionally productive period in Robert Rauschenberg’s career. From the early 1950s on, Rauschenberg broke down traditional boundaries between painting and sculpture and forged new ground in a multitude of media to invent an artistic expression uniquely his own. MOCA has the largest collection of the Combines, 11 in all, including Untitled (Man with White Shoes), Factum 1, Coca-Cola Plan, and Interview, which provide the foundation for an in-depth and focused examination of these works.


Andy Warhol's Dream America: Screenprints from the Collection of the Jordan Schnitzer Family Foundation

Closing September 10, 2006

San Diego Museum of Art. Andy Warhol's Dream America showcases more than 110 of Andy Warhol's memorable screenprints from the Jordan Schnitzer Family Foundation. With a focus on prints made in series, the exhibition provides a comprehensive overview of Warhol's printmaking career, as well as a unique opportunity to view a large selection of his complete print portfolios.


Rembrandt Rarities: Etchings from the Norton Simon Museum

Closing September 11, 2006

To commemorate the 400th anniversary of the artist's birth, the Norton Simon Museum presents an exhibition of 18 of his rare and fine etchings. Each work is distinguished by a special characteristic - perhaps a circumstance of its creation, its overall uniqueness among Rembrandt's etchings or its history in the possession of an illustrious, previous owner.


Rubens and Brueghel

Closing September 24, 2006

This J. Paul Getty Museum exhibition explores the partnership and working method of these artists and brings together many of their most important works for the first time.

LEAVING AZTLÁN

ETHNICITY and ARTISTIC PRODUCTION EXAMINED IN LEAVING AZTLÁN

Rancho Cucamonga, CA - The Wignall Museum at Chaffey College is pleased to present Leaving Aztlán, an exhibition of contemporary art that challenges stereotypes of Chicana/o and Latina/o art by moving beyond culturally specific terms.

Leaving Aztlán opens to the public on Monday, August 28 and runs through October 7, 2006. The opening reception is Tuesday, September 12 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. A Curator’s introductions and artists talk with Javier Carmona, Alex Donis, Christina Fernandez and Shizu Saldamando will be held prior to the reception on Tuesday, September 12 from 6:00-7:00 p.m. Admission and events are free and open to the public.

Guest curated by Kaytie Johnson, Leaving Aztlán abandons the notion of Chicana/o and Latina/o art as having a singular style. Instead, artists in the exhibition utilize diverse artistic practices, forms and strategies. Their work acknowledges the visual legacy of previous generations without being limited to a cultural vantage point. New concerns and directions arise as the artists explore formal and conceptual sensibilities of personal significance.

Leaving Aztlán comes to the Wignall after successful showings at the Center for Visual Art, Denver, CO; LIMN Gallery, San Francisco, CA and ARENA 1, Santa Monica, CA. This exhibition features an updated checklist that includes works by artists Jesse Amado, Connie Arismendi, Javier Carmona, Alex Donis, Christina Fernandez, Carlos Frésquez, Diana Guerrero-Machiá, Salomon Huerta, Chuck Ramirez, Shizu Saldamando, and Rubén Ortiz Torres. Guest curator Kaytie Johnson is Director and Curator of the University Galleries, Museums and Collections at DePauw University, Indiana.

The Wignall Museum is located on the Rancho Cucamonga campus of Chaffey College at 5885 Haven Avenue, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91737-3002. The Wignall is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Closed Sundays and holidays. Admission is free. Parking is available in the North Parking Lot. Parking permits can be purchased via vending machine for $2. Parking is free during museum receptions and special events. EVENT INFO: (909) 941-2702, www.chaffey.edu/wignallgallery

(image) Chuck Ramirez, Cakky (Piñata Series),
2002, digital durst print, 60 x 48 inches,
Courtesy of the artist and Finesilver Gallery, San Antonio

The Museum of History and Art in Ontario

http://www.chaffey.org/community/ontario/museum/

The Museum of History and art in Ontario is now exhibiting thru Sept 10, Ontario Invitational Art Exhibition featuring art by award winners from the 2005 Ontario Open. This includes ceramics, painting and other media. Although I have not seen the exhibition yet, I intend to go on Saturday 8-5-06. Open noon to 4pm, admission and I assume parking is FREEEEE (yaa).

see ya at the museum

Carl Larson and the Realist Art Movement

Carl Larson (1853-1919) was a Sweedish realist painter. Realistic Art emerged at the end of the 18th century and flourished in the middle of the19th century as a counter to what they called the excesses (or abstract nature) of Romantic and Neoclassic Art. Realist artists sought to capture their subjects in their natural settings as accurately as possible. The philosophy of the idealist movement was that art should not idealize or even follow the rules of formal artistic theory. You just do it, plain and simple! "The Kitchen" painting (on the left) is an example of the many realistic paintings made by Carl Larson. It is the painting of a woman and daughter in a typical 19th century kitchen. The depiction of the kitchen stove, water tank, chair and other kitchenware seem very authentic. There is also a cat on the side of the kitchen stove and a pendlum clock near the window. This is a painting job well done!

In addition to Carl Larson, other realists include Anders Zorn (1860-1920), Henry Tanner (1859-1937), and Gilbert Gaul (1855-1919) to mention a few. For a sample of other realistic paintings, visit: http://www.artcyclopedia.com/history/realism.html

As you will see, all the depictions sought to capture their subjects in their natural settings as accurately as possible. They pay great attention to detail. They are very unflattering and jump at you immediately as a setting you will be familiar with. If you are not careful, you may mistake they for a true picture.

I think each artistic movement has its place in the development of art. Each movement reflects the state of the development of artistic theory at the time. Our role as art students is to understand the prevailing philosophy and factors that influenced each artist in her/his time. And in addition, appreciate and enjoy the art!!

Source: http://www.artcyclopedia.com/history/realism.html [Visited on 08-03-06]

NOW Festival

August 3-5
Don't miss the final week of memorable new works in the festival that the Los Angeles Times calls "a boon for the city ... a kaleidoscopic view of arty Los Angeles." The 2006 NOW Festival culminates with three new innovative works: John Fleck's multimedia Johnny's Got a Gun, Juli Crockett’s mix of puppet-epic and rock opera Orpheus Crawling, and Matt Wardell's mechanized Civil War Reenactment. Wardell is also an adjunct professor at Chaffey College. http://redcat.org/season/0506/com/now3.php

August 5
Come for the closing night of the NOW Festival, and stay for the late-night offerings of NocTOURnals. REDCAT teams with MOCA, Grand Performances and the Music Center to host live music and performances, moonlight garden tours and art viewing at four cultural hot spots on Grand Avenue in downtown LA. Most events are free. http://www.musiccenter.org/vtc/promo.html