Yesterday Pierre and I set out to see a so called Cannes Prize winning film. I had seen extracts but can’t say I was too enthusiastic. I can be wrong. I was not. In the first ten minutes of «La Vie d’Adele» I had written the scenario, was bored stiff and got up to leave. Films without a little mystery where everything is spelled out leave me grumpy - or as Pierre would say «grogne» or snarly! We wandered up toward the Luxembourg gardens. I was still fuming about losing time....and there the exhibition «The Renaissance and Dreams» had just started.
«How about it?» I said to Pierre. So off we went. Sure there were a lot of people. There will be twice the crowds in a couple of weeks. This is not my art nor my period but I was relieved to be out of the cinema and looking at «dreams». Perhaps the dreams come from the powers of beyond during this period? 15th to 17th centuries. I did look closely at the work and was as usual stunned by the number of symbols in all of those dreams. However, I was not taking photos but the quality of «Night», «Journey of the Soul» and «Visions of the Beyond» not to mention «Life is a Dream» all helped me to wind down.
 |
|
Today I was off to see Serge Poliokoff’s Gouaches. «The Estruques - A Hymn to Life» was also on at the Maillol and there, the crowds were really bad. Going backwards was I? From yesterday in the 15th back to the early 6th and 5th centuries BC. Once again, such a period is fascinating but I am someone who lives resolutely in the present and find this kind of statue - fascinating because of the time frame but it doesn’t move me. Although I must say (as I did wander through after I had seen Serge P.) that women had an «equal» role in society which is something they lost later on.
Serge Poliokoff is, as you know is a favorite. There is a very big exhibition coming up later this year but I was interested to see his 40 or so gouaches.
When you go into the gallery and you see this -
and then this....
in a strange way it was quite eerie, especially as there was no surveillance and for the hour I stayed there, no-one came in. I don’t think I have been «so alone» in a museum for a long time.
He was born in Russia in 1906 and died in France in 1969. The 13th of 14 children. The period is from 1968-1969. He was a master in abstraction. This work is totally original. Round shapes or rectangular and without any repetition which would have made the series monotonous. Somehow, they complete one another like a polophony. In the early years his colours are simple and not too many of them then in the latter years they are bold and even one which was practically monochrome. Suddenly there was no music. Silence. So much abstract painting is «chatty» too much going on, some work even screams at me but here there was silence - geometric harmony is how I could describe it. As if each colour is indissociable from a note....or that’s how I felt.
I have posted the paintings at random as I wanted to see for myself what music they would play.
Serge Poliokoff was a musician and played the guitar. His brother sang and had the voice of a Tzigane. Serge accompanied him. Yet, it took over 30 years for his painting to become known. I remember going to see a first exhibition with my Mother at the Modern Art Museum. In the 70’s? I can’t be sure but it was shortly after he had died. We were both very quiet when we left. I think that is why I find his work «silent» and yet musical as well.
Commentaires