MISSING TRAINS CAN BE A GOOD THING......
Thank goodness I missed that train a month ago. Perhaps I did it on purpose too as there was an exhibition that I thought I would be seeing in Brussels and discovered the night before I left - last week - that it didn’t open until the day after my intended visit. I booked again. There is now a day trip to Brussels which price wise makes it more interesting than going to a restaurant for dinner in Paris.
My plan for the day was very crowded - five exhibitions. I did not do the five. But I DID stay with my beloved Kandinsky for over two
From my point of view, Wassily Kandinsky is one of the most influential painters of the 20th century. Picasso is obviously on the same level and the two of them I cross oceons to look at.
This artist of Russian origin, who first becomes a naturalised German, then a Frenchman, is an extremely multifaceted genius.
As the founding father of abstract art, his style changes as he travels from Munich to Paris with stops in Moscow and Berlin, from expressionism to surrealism without ever renouncing his Russian roots. In 1911, he paints, the very first abstract work of art in history. With this painting, he mixes up the whole conception of art.
When he leaves this world he also leaves behind an impressive number of paintings: more than 2,500 along with gouaches and aquarelles, but also prints, poetry, stage plays, philosophical essays, theoretical writings, …the exhibition takes you back to the Russia of the 1901 – 1922 period: from symbolism to avant-garde.
His first exhibition in Brussels was century ago and not a success. People thought he was slightly mad. I’ve talked about the books I have read which tells us how he sees his work and his words too, help me to plunge into a painting. Music, movement and energy. Colour, his compositions and improvisations take my breathe away.
This time I discovered some little paintings which he had also done on glass. These I have not seen before. Not to mention this engraving.
And of course his earlier work cannot be ignored as it shows the way to his abstraction.
There were water colours, engravings and next to his work we discovered painting by Alexej von Jawlensky whom I also admire greatly when I discovered his work in the «Blue Rider». But here it is practically a copy of Matisse and his first painting for the Fauves. What do you think?
Then there was Schönberg the modern music composer who seduced me years ago into appreciating modern rather than classic. But this for a painting, rocked me.....
Malevitch too and only because it was painted and not a collage although his work became even more minimalist as time went on.
I went back and forwards - and then did the most stupid thing in a long time. Bought the German catalogue. Oh dear my German is passable but not quite good enough to read those texts I was looking forward to. Perhaps I should return to Brussels again before the exhibition ends in June? I’d be happy to see it again and the others that I didn’t have time to see.
I now had a little over three hours before taking the train back to Paris. So a fast walk over Palais des Beaux Arts. BOZAR.
This was to be a different world. «Changing States» or Francis Bacon’s Studio: Neo Rauch who would be a discovery and Antoine Watteau (1684-1721) and «The Music Lesson» which may help me to look at this period differently - but I doubted it.
The Francis Bacon studio was a good reason to expose many other Irish artists Such an exhibition gave us a chance to plunge into Bacon’s atelier and discover contemporary art of today coming out of Ireland. There was only one artist who stopped me -and that was Katie Holten. (1975). This work she calls «It Happened on the Train» - in actual fact in the underground in New York where she started to crochet little pieces during her trips. I gather there are some 150 pieces. I listened to the video and her accent is enchanting as is her explanation. http://www.bozar.be/tv.php
There were many other Irish painters to discover but my time was limited now and Bacon was a must.
But how could you work in this?
Bacon did and the couple of photos I «sneaked» before getting caught shows the disorder which motivated him in his paintings. A political period which certainly influenced him throughout his life as we saw from the letters and books left behind. Eadweard Muybridge certainly influenced his painting and you see this «likeness» when a painting is compared to a photo. Animals, birds.....There are two self portraits which I «stole» - one is especially interesting as it was found in his studio after his death in April 1992. I wonder if he intended including anyone else in the painting? We will never know.
I also really ike the Feminine portrait which he did in 1970 - for once there is no recognisable head and the portrait doesn’t depict anyone.
Just as I appreciate his three personnages done in 1981 - we see his friend, that’s for sure - John Edwards, perhaps there is Isabelle Rawsthorne another very close friend. Perhaps it isn’t. And an unknown person on the left.
Most people I know find Bacon’s work grosteque, tortured but for me there is also a certain sensitivity and even sensualityin his lines. He too is another artist I always go to see.
But Neo Rauch will not be followed. «The Obsession of the Demiurge» The creation of the universe?
This description was what had tempted me to go to see the exhibition in the first place. The paintings are immense and anything but peaceful. There seems to be destruction in everyone.
Here are two which I could look at without feeling as if I was being attacked. But the eyes in the left painting, I find quite terrifying
I didn’t stay there for long and moved over now to Antoine Watteau. Perhaps I should say that I moved back a couple of centuries....
«The Music Lesson» Kandinsky a century since there was a major exhibition in Brussels and Watteau, 30 years have gone by since there was a retrospective at the BOZAR. Watteau is a French master of the 18th century. There were are 100 or so works, includings paintings, drawing, prints, music scores and instruments.
The exhibition endeavours to convey a relationship between music and painting which is not difficult to do as nearly every painting has a musician in it or a musical instrument is key. After what I had just seen it was a pleasant relief, romantic realism and some sketches which I really enjoyed.
Kandinsky and Bacon left their mark as they always do. I’ll forget about Neo Rauch very fast even if he is supposed to be an Internationally renowned artist and Watteau I will remember because of the music.
That was quite some day and by the time I got to the station there was a rush for the train. That one I couldn’t miss.
From my point of view, Wassily Kandinsky is one of the most influential painters of the 20th century. Picasso is obviously on the same level and the two of them I cross oceons to look at.
This artist of Russian origin, who first becomes a naturalised German, then a Frenchman, is an extremely multifaceted genius.
As the founding father of abstract art, his style changes as he travels from Munich to Paris with stops in Moscow and Berlin, from expressionism to surrealism without ever renouncing his Russian roots. In 1911, he paints, the very first abstract work of art in history. With this painting, he mixes up the whole conception of art.
When he leaves this world he also leaves behind an impressive number of paintings: more than 2,500 along with gouaches and aquarelles, but also prints, poetry, stage plays, philosophical essays, theoretical writings, …the exhibition takes you back to the Russia of the 1901 – 1922 period: from symbolism to avant-garde.
His first exhibition in Brussels was century ago and not a success. People thought he was slightly mad. I’ve talked about the books I have read which tells us how he sees his work and his words too, help me to plunge into a painting. Music, movement and energy. Colour, his compositions and improvisations take my breathe away.
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| Improvisation 191 |
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| Improvisation 1909 |
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| Part of improvisation 209 -1917 |
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| Improvisation 34 1913 |
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| COMPOSITION _ LANDSCAPE - 1915 |
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| PART OF BLAUWE BERGKAM _ 1917 |
This time I discovered some little paintings which he had also done on glass. These I have not seen before. Not to mention this engraving.
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| Kandinsky - Night 1903 |
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| AMAZON WITH BLUE LIONS 1918 |
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| AMAZON IN WOODS 1918 |
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| Church in Murnau 1908-1909 |
There were water colours, engravings and next to his work we discovered painting by Alexej von Jawlensky whom I also admire greatly when I discovered his work in the «Blue Rider». But here it is practically a copy of Matisse and his first painting for the Fauves. What do you think?
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| Alexej von Jawlensky Portrait of a women with red 1912-1913 |
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| Arnold Schonberg 1910 |
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| Malevitch SUPREME COMPOSITION 1915 |
Malevitch too and only because it was painted and not a collage although his work became even more minimalist as time went on.
I went back and forwards - and then did the most stupid thing in a long time. Bought the German catalogue. Oh dear my German is passable but not quite good enough to read those texts I was looking forward to. Perhaps I should return to Brussels again before the exhibition ends in June? I’d be happy to see it again and the others that I didn’t have time to see.
I now had a little over three hours before taking the train back to Paris. So a fast walk over Palais des Beaux Arts. BOZAR.
This was to be a different world. «Changing States» or Francis Bacon’s Studio: Neo Rauch who would be a discovery and Antoine Watteau (1684-1721) and «The Music Lesson» which may help me to look at this period differently - but I doubted it.
The Francis Bacon studio was a good reason to expose many other Irish artists Such an exhibition gave us a chance to plunge into Bacon’s atelier and discover contemporary art of today coming out of Ireland. There was only one artist who stopped me -and that was Katie Holten. (1975). This work she calls «It Happened on the Train» - in actual fact in the underground in New York where she started to crochet little pieces during her trips. I gather there are some 150 pieces. I listened to the video and her accent is enchanting as is her explanation. http://www.bozar.be/tv.php
 |
| Katie Holten Started on the TRain 2002 150 pieces |
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| Katie Holten Started on the TRain 2002 150 pieces |
There were many other Irish painters to discover but my time was limited now and Bacon was a must.
But how could you work in this?
 |
| His kitchen full of sketches |
 |
| The studio with his last self portrai |
Bacon did and the couple of photos I «sneaked» before getting caught shows the disorder which motivated him in his paintings. A political period which certainly influenced him throughout his life as we saw from the letters and books left behind. Eadweard Muybridge certainly influenced his painting and you see this «likeness» when a painting is compared to a photo. Animals, birds.....There are two self portraits which I «stole» - one is especially interesting as it was found in his studio after his death in April 1992. I wonder if he intended including anyone else in the painting? We will never know.
 |
| Self portrait 1991 found after his death |
 |
| Bacon - Woman |
I also really ike the Feminine portrait which he did in 1970 - for once there is no recognisable head and the portrait doesn’t depict anyone.
 |
| Three people |
Just as I appreciate his three personnages done in 1981 - we see his friend, that’s for sure - John Edwards, perhaps there is Isabelle Rawsthorne another very close friend. Perhaps it isn’t. And an unknown person on the left.
But Neo Rauch will not be followed. «The Obsession of the Demiurge» The creation of the universe?
«Neo Rauch (born in Leipzig in 1960) is known for his puzzling, seemingly narrative paintings. The people in them are busy with something or other; they don’t seem to entirely fit in with their surroundings. Rauch has developed a highly individual style, a mix of realism, abstraction with a surrealist touch, and influences from pop art and comic strips. His dreamlike compositions seem to be peopled by memories of the GDR. “My paintings have something vital about them, like an animal, a living thing,” says Rauch. “You don’t have to understand them, just to feel that this creation, to the greatest possible extent, is at peace with itself.”»
This description was what had tempted me to go to see the exhibition in the first place. The paintings are immense and anything but peaceful. There seems to be destruction in everyone.
 |
| Duet 2005 - NEO RAUCH |
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| Student and teacher - NEO RAUCH - 2007 |
Here are two which I could look at without feeling as if I was being attacked. But the eyes in the left painting, I find quite terrifying
I didn’t stay there for long and moved over now to Antoine Watteau. Perhaps I should say that I moved back a couple of centuries....
«The Music Lesson» Kandinsky a century since there was a major exhibition in Brussels and Watteau, 30 years have gone by since there was a retrospective at the BOZAR. Watteau is a French master of the 18th century. There were are 100 or so works, includings paintings, drawing, prints, music scores and instruments.
 | ||
| The Back of Pierrot | Engraving F. Boucher after Watteau |
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| Waiting for the declaration |
 |
| Fourseome |
Kandinsky and Bacon left their mark as they always do. I’ll forget about Neo Rauch very fast even if he is supposed to be an Internationally renowned artist and Watteau I will remember because of the music.
That was quite some day and by the time I got to the station there was a rush for the train. That one I couldn’t miss.
Commentaires
With regard to Bacon, I am not, and never have been, an admirer, but I’m willing to alter my opinion if circumstances warrant it.