Seven Days in Bay Area Art

At the Cantor: "Manet and the Graphic Arts in France, 1860–1880." The death and destruction that occurred in the streets of Paris during the Commune of 1871 affected artists of the generation who lived through it or even fought in it, as did Edouard Manet (1832-1883). This exhibition examines how printmakers, draftsmen, and photographers depicted the factors that led to this traumatic event as well as the conflict itself and the changes it brought to Paris. The central image, Edouard Manet’s powerful lithograph Civil War, is shown with 13 works on paper by Felix Bracquemond (1833-1914), Maximilien Luce (1858-1941), Charles Marville (1813-1979), Félix Buhot (1847-1898), and others. Through November 17, 2013.

Romer Young Gallery presents its first solo exhibition with Milan artist Alice Cattaneo, "Nothing quite flat and more round. " For this exhibition, Cattaneo exhibits a new series of sculptures generated during her residency at the gallery this summer. The design of this imaginary architecture within the gallery space takes into consideration a rigorous yet imperfect geometry coupled with a sense of playfulness. http://www.romeryounggallery.com/

The San Jose Museum of Art kicked off its multi-stage exhibition "Around the Table: food, creativity, community." with the work of internationally acclaimed artist Jitish Kallat. In Jitish Kallat: "Epilogue, "the Mumbai-based artist honors his late father through a deeply personal installation. "Epilogue" (2010–11) comprises 753 photographs that depict progressively eaten roti, the round, traditional South Asian flatbread. Each roti represents one of the 22,500 moons that were in the sky during Kallat’s father’s 62-year lifespan.

At the Roxie: "Herb and Dorothy 50x50 ." “Herb & Dorothy 50x50” is Megumi Sasaki’s follow-up to her 2009 film about Herbert and Dorothy Vogel. He was a postal clerk and she was school librarian in New York City, They devoted their modest means to amassing one of the most significant collections of art, particularly conceptual art.

True philanthropists and art lovers, the couple donated their million plus dollar collection to the National Gallery of Art in Washington in 1992. Even after that, the collection was too large to be exhibited. So, in 2008, after an agreement with the museum, the couple said they would donate 50 works to a museum or gallery in each state. This film documents that project, visiting 11 such exhibitions. (Mr. Vogel died in 2012, before the documentary was finished.

Unfortunately the documentary is not a good follow up to the original film. It lacks focus and the music, as SF Chronicle critic Kenneth Baker points out, is sentimental and cloying. The Vogel's were likable, focused art patrons but this documentary doesn't do them justice. http://www.roxie.com/

More at: http://www.examiner.com/list/seven-days-bay-area-art-cantor-romer-young-gallery-sjma-herb-and-dorothy