Saturday Morning Art 101 Class at LACMA

On Saturday morning I attend an Art 101 class offered by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. This class, like the one I took the week before was given by Mary Lenihan, Director of Adult Programs at the museum.

This class was on the German Expressionists of which LACMA has a good sampling on the South sidie of the 2nd floor of the Ahmanson Bldg.  The term, "German Expressionists," refers to a group of artist from around Europe who worked in Germany from the early 1900's to the 1930's.  Most were members of a group called "De Brucke" (The Bridge)  in Dresden and later in Berlin.  The artists' use of bright colors identifies the influence of Van Gogh, Matisse, and the Fauvists ("Wild Beasts") they were called because of their wild use of bright colors).

One of these painters was Wassily Kandinsky, Russia, 1866-1844, who began his career in Munich where he co-founded the avant-garde artist group Der Blaue Reiter (the Blue Rider).

Beginning in June, LACMA will be opening a new temporary exhibit:  "Expressionism in Germany and France from Van Gogh to Kandinsky."  We saw a preview of this exhibit in the class as some of the paintings in the permanent collection will be featured along with others from other collections.

Here is a bit of what I saw on Saturday morning:

"Cows in the Lowland," 1090 by Emil Nolde, Denmark, 1867-1956, active in Germany

"Portrait of a Girl/Still Life with Fern," 1919-20 by Max Pechstein, German, 1881-1955

"Sunlight," 1921 by Max Pechstein

"Two Nudes in a Room," 1914 by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Germany, 1880-1938

"Two Women," 1911-12/1922 by Kirchner

"Standing Figure," 1924, stained wood, by Albert Muller, Switzerland, 1897-1926

"Sunday in the Alps," 1922 by Kirchner 

"Russian Lovers," 1908, Bronze, by Ernst Barlach, Germany, 1870-1938

"The Fluteplayer," 1936 by Barlach

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"Anger," 1920 by Hans-Siebert von Heister, Germany 1888-1967

"Sign," 1925, oil on cardboard, by Wassily Kandinsky, Russia, 1866-1944, active Germany and France.

"Apocalyptic Landscape," 1913 by Ludwig Meidner, Germany, 1884-1966

"God the Father Hovering," 1922, plaster, by Barlach

"Variation VII," 1906 by Alexei von Jawlensky, Russia, 1864-1941

"Untitled Improvisation III," 1914 by Wassily Kandinsky

Thursday, May 8th, LA Philharmonic at Disney Hall

Gustavo Dudamel conducted the Phil in and evening of Ravel waltzes, Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 3 in C major, and a new piece by Desnne called "Sinfonia Burocratica ed'Amazzonica."  The Ravel waltzes were enjoyable and yet challenging.  He opened the program with "Valses nobles et sentimentales," composed in 1911-12, consists of seven waltzes and an epilogue.  The program described the pieces as "sometimes caustic, sometimes sentimental, always bracing view of Vienese dances as filter through sophisticated Galic eyes."

Lang Lang, the Chinese pianoists, plaed the Prokofiev piano concerto with the orchestra.  He played it with flair and drama which I enjoyed very much.  The 32 year-old wonder was born in China and by the age of 13 he wond international competions.  By age 15 he began studies at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia.

Mark Swed, the L.A. Times critic, was not happy with Lang Lang's performance last Thursday.  I and most of the audience loved it, we gave him a standing ovation.  He plays with great ease and style...it is fun to watch him with his high hair and lofty demenor.  Swed called him over confident and seem to be urging humility.

Paul Desennne was in the audience to hear his 2004 Sinfonia performed.  The composed like Dudamel are from Argentina.  The orchestra convey the mood of the Amazon, Andes, and the frontier of South America.  The five tableaux protrayed included "Anaconda"..."a slow-moving orchestral reptile, slimy at times."  You may imagine the scenes portrayed were intertaining with lots of creative percussion.

The final "La valse" by Maurice Ravel was composed in 1919 after the First World War  and at a time the Frenchman was less enamered of the music of Vienna... so the music that began before the war as a tribute to the city turned into a piece with a "brooding character...with a darker undercurrent."

This L.A. Times photo of Lang Lang shows his intensity and the fast movement of his fingers on the pianol

Jeremy Denk and Jeffrey Kahane at ALOUD, L.A. Public Library

Last Saturday I enjoyed Jeffrey Kahane, director of the L.A. Chamber Orchestra, interviewing and playing four hands on the piano with Jeremy Denk, pianist, composer, and writer.  Denk is playing with the Chamber Orchestra in future concerts.  He is also Music Director at the Ojai Music Festival in June.

Jeremy Denk was named Musical America's 2014 Instrumentalist of the year.  He wrote an article for the 4/9/13 entitled "Every Good Boy Does Fine - A Life in Piano Lessons."  He said that he is happy that he stayed with all the difficult piano lessons and practices as now he experiences "sheer joy' when he play from muscle memory and he doesn't have to think.  "Think Denk" is the name of his blog.

Both artist have worked with famous artists.  Kahane has collaborated with Yo Yo Ma.  Denke has toured with Joshua Bell.

The greatest part of the afternoon was when they sat side-by-side at the grand piano and played together.

Jeremy Denk on the left and Jeffrey Kahane on the Right in lively dialogue.

Yes, they like each other too.

Kahane and Denk having fun playing a duet on the piano.

Back to the Norton Simon on Friday

I enjoyed lunch with my friend Bonnie at the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena yesterday.  We strolled around the water lily covered lagoon and enjoyed revising great sculptures by Henry Moore, Aristide Maillol and Pierre-Auguste Renoir and then we went inside to enjoy the Barbara Hepworth sculptures and works of the modern artists.  Here is what grabbed my attention:

"Mountain" 1937 by Aristide Maillol

Close up

"Two-Piece Reclining Figure," 1968 by Henry Moore

"Reclining Figure," 1956-60 by Henry Moore

"Venus Victorious," 1914 by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

"Sitting Cheetah," 1996 by Gwen Murrill 

"River," 1939-43 by Aristide Maillol

"Air," 1938 by Aristide Maillol

"Assembly of Sea Forms," 1972 by Barbara Hepworth

"Unequal," 1932 by Vasily Kandinsky

"Open Green," 1923 by Vasily Kandinsky, Russian, 1866-1944 part of the German Expressionists.

"Heavy Circles," 1927 Kandinsky

"Metalogical," 1930's by Paul Klee, (Swiss 1879-1940)

"Two Heads," 1932 by Paul Klee

"Bathing Girls," 1910 by Franz Marc (German 1880-1916).  Marc's art was considered "degenerate" by the Nazi's and siezed in 1937.

"Bathers Beneath Trees Fehmarn," 1913 by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (German 1880-1938)

"The Sea I," 1912 by Emil Nolde (German 1867-1956)

"
Artist and Model," 1939 oil and sand on canvas by George Braque (French 1882-1962)

"Woman with a Book," 1932 by Pablo Picasso, (Spanish 1881-1973)

"The Ram's Head," 1925 by Pablo Picasso

"Sketch for Deluge I," 1912 by Kandinsky

Rococo to Impressionism at LACMA

I enrolled in a Gallery Course at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and attended it from 8:30 to 11:00 am on Saturday morning...yes they provided coffee.  The course was taught by Mary Lenihan, Director of Adult Programming at the museum.  She talked about art from the 18th and 19th century from Watteau to Cezanne.  She describe Rococo art as having a "shell form" and showed examples of Watteau and Chardin some with neoclassical influences (Greek and Roman).  She also describes the technical advances during this period that changed how artists worked.  This included portable easels, paint tubes, and pallet knives.  The artist was then free to paint outside and capture the bright colors of the landscape.  She also talked about how the "Salon" in Paris, the artist capital of the world, and how they controlled the art.  There were no private art galleries or sellers.  Everything was sold through the Salon with a jury of critics deciding what was good or not.  This led to little changes in the art until the Impressionist formed their own show...the refused artists...and the control of the Salon lessened.  This opened the door to creative paintings from the Post Impressionists, the Barbizon School who painted the simple life of villages in soft colors, and the Fauvists called "The Beasts" for their use of wild bright colors.

After about a half hour talk, she took us to the 3rd floor of the Ahmanson Building to look at art from these periods.

"Soap Bubbles," after 1739 by Jean-Baptiste-Simeon Chardin, France, 1699 - 1779

"The Perfect Accord," 1719 by Jean-Antoine Watteau, France 1684-1721.  This small panel was painted on wood and hung in a fancy coach.

"Portrait of Jean-Pierre Delahaye," 1815 by Jacques-Louis David, France 1748-1825

"View of La-Ferte-Saint-Aubin, Near Orleans," 1837 by Constant Troyon, France, 1810-1865.  The artist was influence by England's John Constable a famous landscape painter.  The artist shared his vision of paintings the simple life of the country with other artist who lived in Barbizon and formed their school of work.  

"The Beach at Honfleur," 1864-66 by Claude Monet, France 1840-1926.  This Impressionist showed brush strokes in his work which was not allowed by The Salon. 

"View of Vetheuil," 1880 by Claude Monet.  In this painting Monet uses the blending of colors side by side and when viewed from a short distance the colors blend beautifully.

Bergamot Station on Thursday Morning

I received a tip from a colleague about a Roberto Gil de Montes show at the Lora Schlesinger Gallery in the Bergamot Station family of galleries in Santa Monica and roamed on over.  I was delighted with his works.  He incorporates pre-columbian symbols from Mexico into his paintings.  The catalog states that these reference a rich cultural visual language creating hypnotic patterns and psychological portraits.  It goes on to say that colorful works infused with symbols and metaphors that reference time, memory, cultural identity, lifestyle and history.

Born in Guadalajara, Mexico in 1950, he moved with his family to East Los Angeles as a small boy. Here he advance in school and graduated with his BA and MFA from the Otis Parsons Institute. Now, he lives near the Pacific Coast in Central Mexico near indigenous Meso Americans and
appreciates their culture and lore as seen in his paintings.

Here is a bit of what I saw:

"Wixaritari," 2014 oil on canvas

Top "Yo Cora," 2013 pastel on paper.  Bottom "Dream 2," 2013

Top "Island," 2013 pastel on paper, Bottom "Dia de la Virgen," 2013 

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"Henry Moore," 2014 oil on linen.  The artist was highly influenced by the British sculptor, Henry Moore when he visited museums and sculpture gardens while he lived in Los Angeles.

"Turtle Release," 2014 oil on canvas

"Chac Mool," 2014 oil on canvas

"Victor's Dream," 2013 pastel on paper

"Coming Home," 2014 oil on linen

"The New Calendar," 2014 oil on Linen

Next, went into the Lois Lambert Gallery and observed the graphite drawings on Arches paper by Robert Taub entitled "The Earth Sings a Sad Song, Europe 1919-1945."  The artist describes: "This very personal project is an examination and exploration of cultural, national, political and Jewish identity.  And most of all, it is a yahrzeit candle for the millions gone." The scenes are taken from photographs.

"Burning of the Reichstag," (German Capitol Building).  The Reichstag was burned down by the Russian Army in 1945.

"Jewish Quarter, Amsterdam,"  "A mystical and beautiful place until..."  Robert Taub

"Warsaw Ghetto Prisoners,  This image depicts Jew captured during the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, which took place April 22 - May 18, 1943."

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"Nazi Demonstration, 1933."  "During the 1930's leading up to Hitler coming to power, there were many violent clashes between the Communists and the Nazis in Germany.  This is a scene of a memorial service held for Nazis who died fighting in the streets of Berlin during one such protest."  The church in the background is The Berliner Dome, a Lutheran Church I attended while visiting in Berlin.  It is in the center of the city on Museum Isle across from the Opera House.

"Reverend Martin Niemoller, Anti-Nazi pastor, who at first supported Hitler, but he later changed his mind.  In 1943 he was sent to Dachau, but he survived the war and passed away in 1984 at the age of 92."
"First they came for the trade unionists, and I wasn't a trade unionist, so I said nothing.  Then they came for the communist, and I wasn't a communist, so I said nothing.  Then they came for the Jews and I wasn't a Jew, so I said nothing.  Then they came for me, and there was no one left to say anything."  Martin Niemoller

"Abba Kovner, Commander of the FPO, Vilnius 1943.  After his time as the Commander of the Jewish Partisans Organization, Kovner became a prominent Israeli poet and writer, and lived his life out on a Kibbutz in Israel."