martes, 11 de marzo de 2014
jueves, 6 de febrero de 2014
OldMasters Museum, Brussels
The OldMasters Museum in Brussels is part of The Royal Museums of Fine Arts, which hosts some of the greatest collections in Europe and other Museums such as The Magritte Museum, The recently opened Fin-de-Siècle Museum with mostly symbolist and art nouveau art and decorative objects and The Modern Museum. It was originally a French Museum founded by Napoleon in 1801, and the collection started during the revolution, but when Belgium had it's independence in 1830 that it became an important institution.
There where so many incredible paintings, that when looked in detail, into its little figures between the horror vacui, one could start putting the story together, specially in the religious paintings from the 15th century such as in The Last Judgement , where completely hieratic and elongated figures quietly stare at a man being decapitated, and then his head is being handed over to the king, or in The Master of the legend of saint Lucy where if you look close enough you'll see parts of her dodo spread around the painting being held by her followers, there's one of her breasts held by a pair of tweezers or her eyes on a plate. To cut the long story short, St Lucy was a martyr apparently around the 4th century, who lived a holly life and then was sacrificed by eye-gouging. Nice.
I wasn't going to leave The Bosch behind, another great surprise this museum holds is the triptych of The Temptation of Saint Anthony, although it's a replica, its pretty spectacular, it tells the story of the mental and spiritual struggles that Saint Anthony had to go through, he was one of The Desert fathers, who lived in Egypt between the late 3rd century and the early 4th. The original painting hangs in the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga in Lisbon. There are many analysis on the Bosch's paintings and all its symbolism and criticism. The wikipedia explanation of the three panels can be found here.
Another painting I had no idea was there is The Death of Marat by Jaques-Louis David, one of the iconic images of the french revolution, It depicts the murder of Jean Paul Marat who was an important leader. He was killed on july 13th, 1973 in the hands of Charlotte Corday, an important political figure who sympathized with the Gerundists, a sort of political party, who was trying to spread the revolution by military power. Marat was one of their counterparts. According to the story, Charlotte, had planned to assassinate him in front of the entire national convention in Paris, but the plans had to change since Marat wasn't attending the meeting due to a skin problem he had, so he had to stay at home having oatmeal baths. So she surprised him right there, she had a kitchen knife with her and she pierced his aorta and part of his lung. Later she was executed in the guillotine for this.
Anyway, a lot more could be said of every single painting in there, needless to say it is totally worth it.
below you can find some of the greatest paintings hanging there in my opinion and interesting details too.
It's collection mainly consists in Paintings from the southern Netherlands school, in the 15th century, like Rogier van der Weyden, Petrus Christus, Dirk Bouts, Hans Memling, Hieronymus Bosch, Lucas Cranach and Gerard David, this school was deeply influenced by the Flemish Baroque painting and Ruben's oeuvre.
There are many paintings from Pieter Bruegel The Elder, one of From the 16th century, including The Fall of The Rebellious Angels (see somewhere below) which has a notorious influence from The Bosch, in its monstrous and somehow magical creatures and demons. It depicts a passage from The book of Revelation in the bible. The paintings is full of tensions between the characters in the fight between the good and the evil, which is a recurrent topic in his paintings. It can take hours to stare at a Brueghel or a Bosch painting, going through the entirely crowded canvas, between miniatures and other universes, mixing different moments in time together. This works must have been extremely shakening back in the day, when the flemish renaissance was the leading school for painters.
I wasn't going to leave The Bosch behind, another great surprise this museum holds is the triptych of The Temptation of Saint Anthony, although it's a replica, its pretty spectacular, it tells the story of the mental and spiritual struggles that Saint Anthony had to go through, he was one of The Desert fathers, who lived in Egypt between the late 3rd century and the early 4th. The original painting hangs in the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga in Lisbon. There are many analysis on the Bosch's paintings and all its symbolism and criticism. The wikipedia explanation of the three panels can be found here.
Another painting I had no idea was there is The Death of Marat by Jaques-Louis David, one of the iconic images of the french revolution, It depicts the murder of Jean Paul Marat who was an important leader. He was killed on july 13th, 1973 in the hands of Charlotte Corday, an important political figure who sympathized with the Gerundists, a sort of political party, who was trying to spread the revolution by military power. Marat was one of their counterparts. According to the story, Charlotte, had planned to assassinate him in front of the entire national convention in Paris, but the plans had to change since Marat wasn't attending the meeting due to a skin problem he had, so he had to stay at home having oatmeal baths. So she surprised him right there, she had a kitchen knife with her and she pierced his aorta and part of his lung. Later she was executed in the guillotine for this.
Anyway, a lot more could be said of every single painting in there, needless to say it is totally worth it.
below you can find some of the greatest paintings hanging there in my opinion and interesting details too.
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| Jusepe de Ribera "Lo Spagnoletto" Apollo skinning Masyassigned 1637 |
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| Detail from Apollo skinning Masyas |
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| School of the Southern Netherlands 15th century The last Judgement |
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Detail from
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| Hieronymus Van Aken "Bosch" Triptych of the Temptation of Saint Anthony 1516 Replica |
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| Detail from Triptych of the Temptation of Saint Anthony |
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| Master of the legend of Saint LucyBruges, Late 15th century (virgo inter virgines) the virgin of virgins |
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| Detail from Master of the legend of Saint Lucy |
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| Detail from Master of the legend of Saint Lucy |
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| Jan Mostaert Portrait of the Knight Abel Van CoulsterAdvisor in the Ditch Court in 1512 |
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| Detail from Portrait of the Knight Abel Van Coulster |
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| Pieter Brueghel II Count of BethlehemSigned 1610 |
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| Detail from Count of Bethlehem |
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| Pieter Brueghel I The Fall of The Rebellious Angels?1527/28?, Brussels 1562 |
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| Detail from The Fall of The Rebellious Angels |
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| Detail from The Fall of The Rebellious Angels |
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| Detail from The Fall of The Rebellious Angels |
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| Jacob Jordaens Detail from The King Drinks |
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| Jaques-Louis David The Death of Marat1793 |
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| Bum |
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| Some poodle |
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| Frans Snijders, figures attributed to Cornelius De Vos The Pantry Signed by Frans Snijders |
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| Detail from The Pantry |
viernes, 10 de enero de 2014
A little self promotions is not bad!…. here's a look at some of my personal work
I guess, when I start relating everything I like and write about I begin to understand my own work as well.
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| The Git, The Tiger and The Three Spiritual Beings2014 |
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| Chit Chat 2014 |
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| Femme Sauvage2013 |
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| Tropical Punch2013 |
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| My Best Friend Is A Puma2013 |
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| Girl and tiger in sofa2013 |
lunes, 6 de enero de 2014
Painting and other stuff: Kerry James Marshall at the M HKA in Antwerp
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| From the series Mementos (1998) |
Kerry James Marshall's paintings play an important role in the re-configuration of the history of painting up to this days. As most of art History in Europe and America after colonization has been seen and made by white people, telling white history in their terms, Marshall reappropiates this images and iconography from our visual culture, coming from art, advertisement, religious imaginary making new relations to demonstrate other view on individual realities and reinterpret black history.
As KJM, explains in an article in Mousse Magazine 39, there is "A lack in the image bank" . He is an avid image collector and as going through all different spheres and circles among universal visual imaginary he found a huge gap missing, the figures of black men where always either connected with slavery, colonization or exoticism. His intention is to recuperate or even better, to make a recclamation, and give the black subject a place in the history of art and images in general, and not just as complementary subjects but as individuals.
There is one painting in particular that clears up this statement. It's a sort of appropriation from Manet's infamous Olympia, It's Marshall's Olympia. In Nude (2009), he gives the black woman (who portrayed as a servant carrying flowers and as a secondary character in Manet's painting) the main spot, she is in the center of the painting, literally in the spotlight, and this time she owns it and she is completely empowered and confident. This powerful image finally detaches the black figure from the burden of colonialism and slavery as seen repeatedly in the history of images coming from Europe.
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| Nude (2009) |
The commemoration of historical figures is as important as his relation with art history. In We mourn our loss (1998-99) Marshall pays tribute to important figures in the history of USA, including Martin Luther King and Jhon F. Kennedy.
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| We Mourn Our Loss (1997-98) |
This memorial like feeling is present on another work from the same period. In Souvenir I, Marshall places the memorial banner in the inside of a typical 60's african american household. In the center of the piece, a woman with golden wings is inviting us in, to commemorate this fallen American leaders. In the upper part of the painting, portrayed almost as cherubs, he represents a number of political leaders who died between the 60's and 70's.
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| Detail of Souvenir I (1997) |
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| Souvenir I (1997) |
The twelve panel, woodcut print representing a group of young black men having a tea or coffee in a living room, as a cinematic approach representing both what's inside and out. It's an image charged with historical tension.
First of all the composition reminds us of classical paintings, yet all the characters in it are anonymous. This image is meant to challenge the stereotypes society and media have set on young African American men.
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| Untitled (1999) |
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Detail of
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Marshall's oeuvre is fueled with artistic and historical references, he gives them a whole new meaning and weight. Like in the portrait below, he portrayed an important character in America's fight to abolish slavery. David Walker's father was a slave and died being one, his mother was free and he was born free but he still witnessed a lot of atrocities brought by colony. He published a pamphlet encouraging slaves to rise up against their masters.
He manages to give his portraits an enigmatic hue, maintaining that gaze and distance that we can recognize in 19th century painting and most importantly he confronts the viewer with his/her own background, culturally, visually, historically and very often we find out how one sided has it all been until now.
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| Believed to be a portrait of David Walker (ca. 1830), (2009) |
This large painting references Edward Hopper's Early Sunday Morning (1930), he presents a scene from the neighborhood his studio is in, he uses different layers and an effect given by the light through the lenses of a camera, which makes it a very photographic or cinematographic image like in most of his works. There is an aura of tranquility and quietness.
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7 am Sunday Morning (2003)
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The Vignette series have a strong 18th century Rococo style. They depict a couple of african american youngsters in love from different angles. Once again he is addressing art history and clichés. He is making a parody but at the same time he is giving them a sort of heavenly peace and representing a genre which has been almost exclusively from the white culture. He completes the images with elements and symbols from the black culture
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| Part of the Vignette series (2005-2008) |
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| The Vignette series |
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| patrt of The Art of hanging Pictures (2002) |
domingo, 20 de octubre de 2013
Musée du Quai Branly, Paris
This museum is by far one of the most interesting historic museums I have ever visited. It contains a vast collection of pre and post colonial art of America, Asia, Africa and Oceania.
Its rich collection dates from thousands of years ago and while you go through every continent you start getting the context as well as some resemblances between cultures which are really far away geographically.
Some of the most captivating pieces, in my opinion where the voodoo objects coming from Benin and its arrival to the Caribbean, specifically Haiti, and how there's a syncretism between voodoo magic, catholicism and popular culture, as a result there is an authentic kitsch mixture, which I could also perceive in costumes of the Bolivian "Diablada" carnival.
Their collection of masks, coming from Africa, and Oceania mainly is unbelievable although I have to admit it seems weird when this objects are decontualixed and put in a museum space, because once you get to watch the videos of the actual rituals and celebrations where they where used, and they become alive it is a whole different thing.
Anyway, there is so much history contained in this amazing building that it could take ages to categorize it, or talk about it all, so I thought I would just share some of my personal highlights.
Maks from Melanesia, Papua New Guinea (20th century)
Masks of funerary dances, Papuasia
Jipae ritual: this masks represent those who have passed away, from the world of the living to the world of the spirits, each Jipae, brings back people who have died since the last Jipae, they spent a day and a night in the village and then they're gone for good.
Phantome figures, Melanesia, Malekula Island
In malekula island, mythical heroes are re-enacted by this pahntomes or shadows in public rituals, sometimes they are used for funerary rituals.
Drawings on rolled paper, India, Bihar, (20th century)
(not sure if this one is called "The Kingdom of Yama" or "The Godess Kali")
Masks of The Initiation Society, Ejumba, Senegal.
Masks are brought to life through dance rituals, and they work as mediums between the world of the living and the dead. They are usually made of wood, bone, pigment and fiber and resemble both animals and humans, the whole costume is completed by added hair and dresses.
Masks from Cross River, Niger, Nigeria (20th century)
Haitian voodoo, Africa and America
Voodoo has it's roots in the west of Africa. During the colonization by the french, hundreds of slaves where taken to the Caribbean Islands, as a result there was a mixture of cults and religions, and they slaves managed to fit their own rituals and beliefs with the catholic religion imposed by the colonizers.
They fought againts slavery, and finally got their independence in 1804 in thecolony of Saint-Domingue.
The main aspect of Haitian voodoo is the representation of Iwa, or the spirits through catholic imagery like a christian saint for example. This objects which history and meaning comes from Benin and the Congo, and then get americanized by the caribbean cultures are definitely charged with a strong energy, they are definitely not meant to be decorative, I find them beautiful but very disturbing.
Ritual dances from The Andes
La Diablada, Oruro, Bolivia
The carnival performed in the mining town of Oruro, manages to mix catholicism and indigenous beliefs. This carnival depicts the struggle between angels and demons, where Lucifer is followed by a pack of male and female demons. On the other side there's angel Michael as the leader of the wholesome pack.
However the devil is represented in various forms, and it also incarnates a positive force, linked to Supay, the god of death and the giver of gifts. This character appears only after the colonization and as all the others it embodies the syncretism between European and indigenous own searches for representation of good and evil.
Its rich collection dates from thousands of years ago and while you go through every continent you start getting the context as well as some resemblances between cultures which are really far away geographically.
Some of the most captivating pieces, in my opinion where the voodoo objects coming from Benin and its arrival to the Caribbean, specifically Haiti, and how there's a syncretism between voodoo magic, catholicism and popular culture, as a result there is an authentic kitsch mixture, which I could also perceive in costumes of the Bolivian "Diablada" carnival.
Their collection of masks, coming from Africa, and Oceania mainly is unbelievable although I have to admit it seems weird when this objects are decontualixed and put in a museum space, because once you get to watch the videos of the actual rituals and celebrations where they where used, and they become alive it is a whole different thing.
Anyway, there is so much history contained in this amazing building that it could take ages to categorize it, or talk about it all, so I thought I would just share some of my personal highlights.
Maks from Melanesia, Papua New Guinea (20th century)
Masks of funerary dances, Papuasia
Jipae ritual: this masks represent those who have passed away, from the world of the living to the world of the spirits, each Jipae, brings back people who have died since the last Jipae, they spent a day and a night in the village and then they're gone for good.
Phantome figures, Melanesia, Malekula Island
In malekula island, mythical heroes are re-enacted by this pahntomes or shadows in public rituals, sometimes they are used for funerary rituals.
Drawings on rolled paper, India, Bihar, (20th century)
(not sure if this one is called "The Kingdom of Yama" or "The Godess Kali")
Haunting cloths, Afghanistan, Hérat (First half of the 20th century)
Cotton and paint
Fertility dolls, Africa (Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa)
This dolls are meant for new mothers, so their children will be healthy and protected.
Masks of The Initiation Society, Ejumba, Senegal.
Masks are brought to life through dance rituals, and they work as mediums between the world of the living and the dead. They are usually made of wood, bone, pigment and fiber and resemble both animals and humans, the whole costume is completed by added hair and dresses.
Representation of sacrifice
Masks from Cross River, Niger, Nigeria (20th century)
Haitian voodoo, Africa and America
Voodoo has it's roots in the west of Africa. During the colonization by the french, hundreds of slaves where taken to the Caribbean Islands, as a result there was a mixture of cults and religions, and they slaves managed to fit their own rituals and beliefs with the catholic religion imposed by the colonizers.
They fought againts slavery, and finally got their independence in 1804 in thecolony of Saint-Domingue.
The main aspect of Haitian voodoo is the representation of Iwa, or the spirits through catholic imagery like a christian saint for example. This objects which history and meaning comes from Benin and the Congo, and then get americanized by the caribbean cultures are definitely charged with a strong energy, they are definitely not meant to be decorative, I find them beautiful but very disturbing.
La Diablada, Oruro, Bolivia
The carnival performed in the mining town of Oruro, manages to mix catholicism and indigenous beliefs. This carnival depicts the struggle between angels and demons, where Lucifer is followed by a pack of male and female demons. On the other side there's angel Michael as the leader of the wholesome pack.
However the devil is represented in various forms, and it also incarnates a positive force, linked to Supay, the god of death and the giver of gifts. This character appears only after the colonization and as all the others it embodies the syncretism between European and indigenous own searches for representation of good and evil.
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