Monica D. Murgia

Where art, creativity, and fashion meet

January 21st, 2013

George Bellows & The Ashcan School

The George Bellows show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art really blew me away this weekend. I worked at an art gallery for some time, and learned about the Ashcan School of painters. Founded by Robert Henri (1865–1929) around 1900, this group of painters focused on depicting scenes as they were (Realism) instead of in the dreamy, staccato way of the American Impressionists.

Henri believed that painters needed to depict everyday subjects in an interesting and honest way: “What we need is more sense of the wonder of life, and less of this business of picture making.”

George Wesley Bellows - Summer Night_ Riverside Drive

Summer Night, Riverside Drive by George Bellows, 1908. Image courtesy of allpaintings.org

Members of the Ashcan School became instantly recognizable for their lavish use of black paint. Black paint had pretty much been eliminated by the American Impressionist palette, although it was used heavily by the Old Masters like Rembrandt, Frans Hals, and Goya. Contemporaries of the Ashcan school affectionally called them the “Revolutionary Black Gang” or the ” Ash Can Group” (hence the name).

Stag at Sharkey’s by George Bellows, 1909. Image courtesy of cleveland.about.com

George Bellows (1882-1925) was originally from Ohio. He moved to New York to continue his study of painting. Bellows met Henri shortly after arriving and started to study with him. Henri encouraged Bellows to depict scenes of contemporary life, even if the compositions and subjects challenge prevailing standards of taste. Bellows focused on impoverished immigrants in New York, especially children in “squalid and dangerous slums”.

Cliff Dwellers by George Bellows, 1913. Image courtesy of The Tenement Museum.

Bellows is really my favorite painter from the Ashcan School. He has an amazing sense of value and color. All of the paintings have so many harmonious colors, and really express a sense of light and dark. The canvases are so luminous, they seem to have a radiant light source within. One of my favorite paintings in the show was called Noon.

Of course I’m partial to it because of all the blue paint, but you can definitely see how there are areas of light and dark. The bridge and how it casts shadows over parts of the canvas, the dark areas with figures in the shade, and even the billowing smoke – just take a look at how masterfully they are all done:

Noon by George Bellows, 1908.

There were so many great depictions of New York City. In addition to his sensitivity to color, Bellows was an amazing draftsman. He carefully outlines shapes within the composition. Almost all of the paintings have a balanced foreground, middle, and background. And the subjects just seem to come alive, with all the care and detail with which they are painted.

New York by George Bellows, 1911.

But really, the best part of seeing all of these paintings was the opportunity to look at Bellows’s brushstrokes. It’s really difficult to see in photographs and images. That’s why going to museums and galleries are so important. There is a really, tangible experience of the painting that you just don’t get by looking at on the internet or in a book. As someone that paints, it’s a special learning tool to see how other people push paint around the canvas.

The Palisades by George Bellows, 1909. Image courtesy of the Tate.

As I looked at certain paintings, I noticed that Bellows directed the paint to follow the specific object he was painting. So for example, the water is painted horizontally and the tree is painted vertically. Take a look at smoke in the upper right hand corner. It’s really easy to see that Bellows swirls the paint around to mimic the way smoke billows in the wind. So pretty!

Snow Capped River by George Bellows, 1911. Image courtesy of the Telfair Museum.

Snow Capped River was another favorite. You MUST see it in person. The image above doesn’t even hint at what a beautiful work of art it really is. Bellows also changed the thickness of paint within his compositions. Certain areas are very flat, with thin layers of paint, and others are thick and impasto.

The George Bellows exhibit is at the Metroplitan Museum of Art until February 18th, 2013. Don’t miss it – the show is included with general admission!

GHTime Code(s): nc nc nc nc nc nc

Tags: american impressionism, Ashcan School, exhibition review, George Bellows, metropolitan museum of art, modernism, modernist paintings, New York, New York City, painting, paintings, realism, realist painting, Robert Henri, the met
Posted in art, artists, artists i love, Great Museums, made in america, paintings, Travel, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

January 19th, 2013

Acanthus & Central Park

So much to do, so little time! I paint as a hobby, and am looking forward to getting some inspiration before going back to my studio.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has two stellar shows right now, one on George Bellows, and another in Matisse.

I promise to write more about these exhibits after I take them in. I’m really looking forward to seeing how these two artists paint landscapes and other nature inspired scenes.

I’m not sure what paintings are in the shows, but Bellows painted many scenes of New York. When I spend time in the city, I always love going to Central Park and Riverside Drive. These are two places Bellows loved, and referred to park settings as an “urban oasis”.

Matisse liked to paint in a completely different style, but I like his paintings of trees so much. (I’m really partial to painting trees. They are my favorite subject!). His Acanthus painting is really beautiful, such strong hues of green and purple paired together make me smile.

I’m hoping that both of these paintings are at the museum. They have a similar color palette, which would be interesting to look at in person.

GHTime Code(s): nc

Tags: Acanthus, Central Park, exhibits, nature, painting, the met, trees
Posted in art, Art's Influence on Fashion, artists, artists i love, Great Museums, Travel, Uncategorized | No Comments »

September 20th, 2011

Fashion, Illuminated

Philosophy Presenting the Seven Liberal Arts to Boethius (detail), miniature in a French manuscript of The Consolation of Philosophy attributed to the Coëtivy Master, about 1460–70. Image courtesy of getty.edu

With the cold weather creeping its way into the forecast, a new season is ushered into our fashion wardrobes. Spring clothes go into hibernation. Fall and winter garments enter the scene to arm us for the cold weather fronts. This year, I’m really gravitating to fashion inspired by Medieval & Byzantine art. This same inspiration was used by Alexander McQueen in the final collection before his death.

Medieval & Byzantine Inspired coat. Alexander McQueen, 2010. Image courtesy of guardian.co.uk

The best sources to consult when looking for Medieval fashions are illuminations. Illuminated manuscripts are books adorned with hand-painted illustrations, borders, and stylized calligraphy. The earliest illuminated manuscripts are from around 400AD. This date coincides with the fall of Western Rome to Germanic invaders and the rise of Byzantine culture. (In 330AD, Roman Emperor Constantine I created two Roman capitals, Rome and Constantinople. Constantine I also declared Christianity the religion of the empire. Natural divisions within the empire occurred over time. Constantinople, or present-day Istanbul, was able to survive after the Germanic invasions and evolved into the Byzantine Empire.) These manuscripts were created by Christian monks, who’s main religious task was preserving the ancient knowledge of Greece and Rome.

Illuminated manuscript. Image courtesy of The Morgan Library & Museum.

Few actual garments survive from this period, so art and illuminations are particularly valuable references when examining fashion from this era. The Morgan Library & Museum recently had an exhibit, Illuminating Fashion, that examined fashion from Medival France and the Netherlands. The best part of the show? It is available completely online!!

You can zoom in on areas of particular interest, and then read about each of the manuscripts. The image above has the following description:

The Fashion Revolution Explodes: ca. 1345–50
The four young men in this miniature are all dressed at the height of the new fashion. They wear the new short garment, the cote hardy: buttoned down the front, it is tight at the skirt, bodice, and sleeves. All sport chaperons, two of which are dagged (cut into decorative strips). Some wear delicate shoes, while the youth in blue wears chaussembles: hose with leather soles. The two women at the left wear the open surcot. The woman in blue wears the closed surcot, furnished with a lined slit for access to the kirtle. She also wears tippets: thin decorative bands of cloth falling from the elbow.

The Life of Solomon, from Bible Historiale by Guvart des Moulins, 1402. Image courtesy of hermes-press.com

Alexander McQueen's last collection. Image courtesy of fashionfame.com

Alexander McQueen's last collection. Image courtesy of thelovelyroom.com

Other great sources to consult for inspiration are works of art from the time period. A lot of mosaics still remain throughout Europe. In the US, The Cloisters holds a collection dedicated to medieval art and architecture.

Byzantine Empress Theodora. Byzantine. Image courtesy of metmuseum.org

Emperor Justinian with Empress Theodora. Image courtesy of angelfire.com

The Byzantine Empire amassed even greater wealth under Justinian I and his Empress Theodora (above). A former actress and dancer, Theodora caught the eye of Justinian with her beauty. Apparently, Karl Lagerfeld felt the same way back in 2010, as he explained that Theodora was his muse for the pre-fall 2011 collection:

The season’s theme, Paris-Byzance, Lagerfeld explained, was inspired by the Empress Theodora and the lost culture of Byzantium. In typically rapid-fire mode, he noted: “Theodora was a circus artist who became empress, like Chanel, who was a little singer and became a fashion empress.”

Chanel Pre-Fall 2011. Image courtesy of Style.com

Chanel Pre-Fall 2011. Image courtesy of Style.com

Chanel Pre-Fall 2011. Image courtesy of Style.com

Chanel Pre-Fall 2011. Image courtesy of Style.com

Byzantine jewelry continued Greco-Roman traditions but was also influenced by Eastern decorative arts. A hybrid style, Byzantine jewelry used lots of pearls, a variety of colored gem stones, and enamel. Coupled with expert metal smiths, the jewelry is lavish with detail.

Finger Ring with a Cross, 450–525. Frankish. Image courtesy of metmuseum.org

Byzantine jewelry, via the British Museum.

Byzantine earrings. Image courtesy of arthistoryspot.com

While most of us can’t afford a McQueen or Chanel wardrobe, there are some key elements to look for when piecing together this type of look.

Deep-hued, richly colored fabrics
Embroidery
Fur
Ornate costume jewelry
Long, ankle-skimming skirts

Necklace available at Forever 21. Approx. $9.00

Faux fur vest from H&M. Approx. $40.00

Embroidered sleeve dress from Topshop.com. Approx. $175

Priscilla mmbellished tights from bebaroque.co.uk Approx. £75

All these ideas, and you’ll be looking like royalty.

Bust of the Virgin, ca. 1390–95. Bohemia. Image courtesy of metmuseum.org

GHTime Code(s): nc

Tags: alexander mcqueen, Byzantine art, Byzantine fashion, chanel pre-fall 2011, illuminated manuscripts, illuminations, karl lagerfeld, mcqueen's last collection, Medieval art, Medieval fashion, the cloisters, the met, the morgan library and museum, theodora, theodora and lagerfeld
Posted in art, Designers I love, Fashion as art, fashion history, Inspiration, Make yourself smarter, Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

April 21st, 2011

Fashion Critics – The Writing is on the Wall

Fashion and textile exhibitions are not a new phenomenon in the museum world. What is new, however, is the public new-found admiration and interest in them. The New York Times recently featured an article examining museums’ installing fashion exhibits. (Museums Are Finding Room for Couturiers By GERALDINE FABRIKANT Published: April 20, 2011)

Simply Halston exhibit at the Indianapolis Museum of Art, 2008. Image courtesy of the museum.

Critics dismiss this cultural shift as a preference for “fluff over fine arts,” or simply a sophomoric obsession fueled by reality TV shows. Tyler Green, editor of Modern Art Notes, believes that fashion exhibitions lack substance and scholarly investigation. Or do they?

Venomous attacks such as Green’s are unfounded, and well, a bit outdated. Curating a museum exhibition on any subject is as scholarly as an investigation could get. A subject is proposed, research is conducted, and curators painstakingly create a written and visual narrative. The written component includes a detailed object list, wall didactics, and an exhibition catalog. (Academic terms for the descriptions of the object and maker, the writing on the wall explaining the exhibition, and the tempting book available at the gift shop) Becoming a curator is academically rigorous; requirements include: conducting original research, lecturing to the public, publishing articles and books, and presenting at conferences. Clearly, curators showcase the best of their scholarly pursuits. So why the rancor? And just why was Fabrikant, a senior writer for the business section at the Times, citing antiquated debates and quotes?

The Model as Muse: Embodying Fashion. Met Museum. 2009.

The real contention revolves around defining fashion. Is fashion art? Is fashion a serious discipline? Is fashion worthy of investigation on an academic, social and cultural level? These questions have been addressed by great philosophers including Socrates and Foucault, yet the debate persists. But why?

Fashion exists in a perpetual duality: it is as serious as it is superficial. Creating clothing requires creativity, mathematical expertise for a precise fit, and a continual quest for innovation in fabrication and silhouette. On a micro level, fashion choices communicate individual identity. Non-verbal communication accounts for about 90% of an individual’s message. Clothing, therefore, speaks for you. On a macro level, clothing signifies economic, social and cultural groups. Aside from personal identity, clothing also gives wearers a sense of communal belonging.

Gothic: Dark Glamour. Museum @ FIT, 2011.

Yes, fashion is art. And anyone that is an art aficionado knows that there is a stratification of art. There is highbrow, there is low brow, and everything in between. For many years, graffiti was considered tasteless vandalism. Now, street artists’ work, like Banksy’s, sell for millions of dollars on the contemporary art market.

Banksy’s Street Art.

Fashion also is a subtle indicator of political and social movements. Changes in clothing often predate the movement itself.

Women’s Suffrage Movement.

Black Power Movement.

Despite the seriousness, fashion can still be fun. The daily choice of self-expression is experimental. It is a creative way to invent yourself, the image you want to project to the world. To a large degree, what people chose to wear is an unconscious act. Most of us don’t wake up wondering what the political ramifications of our outfits will be. This is why fashion, as a discipline, is scoffed at. The very act of waking up and dressing is minimized. For the majority, dressing has become an involuntary act, like breathing. If we don’t think about it, does it make it less important? No! Perhaps the remedy is redirecting the focus to making it fun. Clothes that don’t fit our mode of expression can be discarded. The act of trying new garments to achieve “that look” is what philosopher Foucault was talking about when he said: The task is not to find ourselves, but to invent ourselves. Why leave such an important task to chance or reflex?

Model as Muse: Embodying Fashion. Met Museum, 2009. Photo courtesy of daydreampilot.com.

When museums’ showcase a fashion exhibit, it is a way for the public to reconnect with the past on a very personal level. We can learn something of our own personal style by reflecting on what has come before. Seeing what people wore makes the past more real, more tangible. We can envision ourselves in the garments. We can literally feel what it would be like in their shoes.

Chopine. On a Pedestal: From Renaissance Chopines to Baroque Heels. Bata Shoe Museum, 2010.

Not everyone will read the didactics and object lists. But they will have a real visceral experience of stepping into the past or mind of the designer. But for the critics and journalists who continually bash fashion as art, I must ask: Have you taken the time to read the curator’s work? If you haven’t, the writing is on the wall.