Anna's Picks

Just a quick review of a few of my favorite gallery shows in SF right now:

Catherine Clark Gallery, Minna Street (near SFMOMA)

Sandow Birk's "American Qur'an" is a preview of an ambitious work in progress. He's the guy who reinterpreted Dante's "Divine Comedy." Now he's tackling the Qur'an. It's an ongoing project, about 2/3rds done, translated into contemporary American English, and illuminated with scenes from American life. The pages resemble parts of the Book of Kells and Persian miniatures. The calligraphy is graffiti style. Eventually it will be published in book form, but for now the gallery is exhibiting the framed pages.

Sandow Birk, Gouache and ink on paper, 16 x 24 inches

There's also a life-sized ceramic ATM machine (a frequent image in the paintings) next to the gallery desk. (image at top)

through October 31st

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Jerry Kerns, "Graceland", 2009, acrylic on canvas, 48" x 68"

Modernism, 685 Market (near 3rd), Suite 290

In the front room is Jerry Kearns' "Paleface" - big, fun paintings of a ghostly christ-like American hero in all the classic roles. My favorite: the pairing with a satanic Keith Richards.

In the back room is the gallery's 30th anniversary show, work by Le Courbsier, Malevich, Valmier, Masson, et al, and some early African wood pieces.

through Oct. 31st

right: George Valmier, "Main a la bouteille", 1931 gouache on paper, 14" x 11"

- - - - -

Adou "Witch and Chicken", 2006, Silver Gelatin Print, 51 x 41.75 inches

Haines Gallery, 49 Geary

"Samalada": Chinese photographer, Adou, shows large format silver gelatin prints of people and places in his native Sichuan Province. The series title is a direct translation of the local name for Da Liang Mountain, a barren area bordered by rivers and mountains. The images are moody, atmospheric (he used expired film) and mysterious.

through Oct. 17th


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Stephen Wolf Fine Arts, 49 Geary, SF

Local photographer Jo Babcock's "Past Life Picturesque" - pinhole cameras (handmade from found objects) and low-key, witty assemblage installations of same (installation shots above).

Nicholas Knight, "Taking Pictures"
Photos of people taking photos of pictures, in galleries and museums.

through Oct. 10

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Toomey Tourell Fine Arts, 49 Geary

Brian Dettmer's, "New Mixed Medium" - incredible, layered sculptures carved and constructed from illustrated books. The best of this genre that I've ever seen. Most work made from books strikes me as book abuse, but Dettmer's work really elevates and transcends the materials.

Great Images on the artist's Flickr stream!

Through Sept 30th

Street Art

I went to heaven Ventura for the holiday weekend.
If you are familiar with Ventura, you know of what I speak. If you are not--well, heaven awaits, in the form of the ocean, all those charming California bungalows, a mural of gigantic poppies and another of Monarch butterflies at an arts center, a lively farmers market in Ojai, with cheeses and chocolates that make you glad to be alive, the best thrift stores EVER on Main St., a wonderful coffee house called Palermo Cafe, where you can sit and write and write and write for hours on two cups of coffee (and everyone is very nice, and there is a WiFi password, besides), and and and. Not to mention the company. I am in love with Ventura.

Imagine my surprise and delight when I was walking downtown and came across a painted utility box. It was this one:

The city of Santa Cruz also has a similar wonderful program whereby artists are invited to use the ugly, putty-colored utility boxes as their canvases, and the utility boxes became these colorful, beautiful and/or funny and/or interesting landmarks throughout the city. The painted boxes changed my experience of waiting at traffic signals.

We are changing the world, all of us, every artist, every arts champion, we are changing the world, we are making it a better and more beautiful place, one step at a time, one utility box at a time.



P.S. I was also told San Diego has painted utility boxes.

Another city, another bridge - Joseph Stella at SF MOMA

 A clever pun from the SF MOMA BLog: Reports are coming in that the Bay Bridge might stay closed due to a crack. Since this news is less than stellar we wanted to share something bridge related that is, shall we say, very STELLA. Come see the work in person by taking BART (Montgomery Station). 

In 1896, Joseph (born Giuseppe) Stella emigrated to the U.S. to pursue a medical career. He soon changed course, however, and began illustrating immigrant life in New York's slums. These works were essentially of the nineteenth century in both style and social outlook.

Between 1909 and 1912, Stella traveled in Italy and France and discovered the formal and thematic innovations of the European avant-garde. His new work glorified the industrial prowess of the U.S. Foremost among his subjects was the Brooklyn Bridge, rendered as a constellation of lines dramatically receding in space. Many of his pictures derive their compositions from Renaissance altarpieces, but substitute modern architecture for sacred figures. This choice reflects Stella's typically modernist belief that in the future technology would replace the old religions.

Read more about Joseph Stella at the SF MOMA web site.
http://www.sfmoma.org/http://www.sfmoma.org/

Timothy Buckwalter: A Limited Time Offer, Free

Timothy Buckwalter: A Limited Time Offer, Free

Hey internet, I've made a limited edition chapbook of some of my text drawings. It is titled "Come Armageddon Come" and is the first in a series of 12 upcoming chapbooks. "Come Armageddon Come" (printed in a run of 25) features some bonus material.

If you want one (they are free), type your mailing address (and name) in the comment box below. Obviously the sooner the better

Clem Crosby, Tad Wiley, and TRANSFOCUS

Strong painting and innovative photography, three shows in one space at the George Lawson Gallery, San Francisco, - 09.03.09 - 10.03.09:

• Clem Crosby, Recent Paintings
• Tad Wiley, Water Log, Recent Work on Paper
• TRANSFOCUS, photographs by Tama Hochbaum, Keira Kotler, Susan Mikula, Jennah Ward, and Nina Zurier

	Clem Crosby: Garland Broken, 2009, oil on formica, 35.5 x 24.5 in.
	Tad Wiley: Water Log 9, 2008, oil based enamel on vellum, 20 x 15 in.
	from top: Tama Hochbaum, Keira Kotler, Susan Mikula, Jennah Ward, Nina Zurier

In a Beautiful World

The first photograph that greets you at Nicole Morgenthau’s website is one of sheer exuberance: it’s a scene of quintessential Americana, and more specifically, of the wild, wild West, where there are wide open spaces and blue skies and amber waves of grain, where cowboys wander and trains rattle on tracks stretching for miles across the plains, and where you can’t help but kick up your heels and shout.

Though the motifs in Ms. Morgenthau’s work vary—Americana and the wild West here, tropical paradise there, everywhere an ephemeral glimpse into a moment—the photographs illustrate life experienced in the natural world with abundant joy.

These are images that make you feel happy just to look at them: a child lying in the brilliant green grass with her dog, a lime hanging on a tree in front of a coral-pink wall, a man with a smile so beautifully bright that you feel welcomed. In the images, a personality emerges: of one who is lively and curious, of one who will introduce you to the world as a beautiful place.

Ms. Morgenthau says that grew up in a not beautiful place, in the suburbs of New Jersey, where there wasn’t much that was visually stimulating. Craving a chance to see the world, she went West to college—and found what she was seeking. “You seek out what you want,” she told me.

What Ms. Morgenthau had always wanted was to create beautiful things, even as a tiny child, and so she started making art early: painting, drawing, sculpting. Now in her photography, she still seeks that beauty, whether it be found in a smile or in a scene outdoors. Her favorites among her work show people who are happy, vibrant with good energy, framed by (or maybe somehow interacting with) a beautiful landscape.

Sometimes it takes patience:

I love that high desert landscape, and I go there and hang out and wait for the good light. . . .you can’t count on good light. . . Fishing is a good metaphor. You can wait and wait and wait, and think it’s going to be perfect, and then the sun goes down, and it turns to muck. It helps to be patient.

In many of the pictures, there’s what I think of as a painterly effect in the use of intense, clean color, which gives a stronger voice to the image. Ms. Morgenthau says she tries to take a simple approach:

When things look cheesy. . . . it’s often because they are fake . . . . There’s enough beauty going on in the world without having to overdo it. I take advantage of beautiful vivid colors, like the lime tree and the red house in Mexico.

I used to shoot black and white in the days of film, but as clients demanded more color and we move to being more digital, you just have to be really careful about what you choose. If there is color, it has to be beautiful color.

I wondered whether Ms. Morgenthau sees the world differently than other people. Her response was that she doesn’t believe she does, but that she takes the time to look at what is there:

A lot of people don’t, and aren’t aware of their settings, they become aware only if it’s drop dead gorgeous and blasts them in the face.

This view of the tiny beautiful details that make up the world seeps into every aspect of her life:

We’re only here for a short time, and we take advantage of what’s around us, we’re open to different opportunities, not just visually, but when you’re more aware of your surroundings, you can’t not care about what’s going on around you. Being an artist, you have an opportunity to make change because of what you’re aware of and it’s really hard to ignore, the good and the bad.

And that truly is what art does for us, isn't it, that it wakes us up, it shows us different views of humanity and of the world, and it makes us think about what happens, and it makes us aware of ourselves, and it ignites all kinds of transformations, from the tiny ones that occur in our inner landscapes that become the great changes in our lives, and so that maybe we shift direction, and when enough of us shift in that way, the greater effect might be a change for the good in the world.

[photographs by Nicole Morgenthau.]

Sneak Preview

The Blind Boys of Alabama will be at Yoshi's tonight and tomorrow night. Here you see Bishop Billy Bowers, lead singer Jimmy Carter, Ben Moore, Ricky McKinnie on drums, and Joey Williams on guitar. (Also onstage is tour manager Willie Chuck Shivers.)

(Photograph by Nicole Morgenthau, about whom there is much more to come.)

Artist inspiration and opportunities at the Exploratorium

“Art museum” might not be the first term that comes to mind when thinking of the Exploratorium. However, the Exploratorium accurately describes itself as “a museum of science, art, and human perception.” Many of the exhibits are actually interactive, multimedia art exhibits. And since art intersects with science so well (think the science of color; the chemical properties of paint; the effects of perspective), it’s actually the perfect place for viewing art and for getting inspired for your own art projects.

It’s also a place of great opportunity for artists: they encourage applications for artist residencies of varying lengths. Here is just a bit of information from the “artist opportunities” page of their website:

“We are looking for artists to conduct research and create work in a variety of media - sculpture, film, video, performance, photography, sound, and installation - to potentially, but not necessarily, augment our large-scale thematically-based exhibitions. These projects take the form of both self-directed and project-based residencies.”

One of the special art exhibits currently at the Exploratorium is Reflections. Reflections is the work of New York-based interactive artist Daniel Rozin, who “creates installations and sculptures that have the unique ability to change and respond to the presence and point of view of the viewer. In many cases ‘you’ are the content of the piece and in others you are invited to take an active role in its creation.”

This fascinating, interactive exhibit demonstrates many ways of seeing ourselves and our surroundings. One of my favorite pieces in the exhibit is the “snow mirror.” As you stand in front of the transparent silk screen in a darkened room, “snowflakes” begin to fall and gather on your image, as if you were building a values study with white chalk on black paper, yet constantly moving… too hard to explain! You just have to experience it. But don’t wait too long; the last day to see Rozin’s Reflections is September 20.

Go for the inspiration, and who knows-- you may come away with enough ideas to apply for an Exploratorium residency yourself!

My link over to the side isn't working, but in the meantime you can reach me at conceptconnect@sbcglobal.net -- Ramona Soto (bluemonk)

The art of the fruit crate

Some bright images for a cool San Francisco morning
http://www.examiner.com/x-13996-SF-Museum-Examiner

Friday Art Sprint 75 minutes, 2 museums and 1 gallery

With two hours to idle away, along came the idea for an ADD inspired artists date: Race downtown before two exhibits closed. Thanks to a collision free Muni ride, I was downtown quickly. Now on foot, I headed down Second Street to my first stop, the Andrea Schwartz Gallery. I was almost there when the bus I could have waited for drove past. Theory: Over any distance, under optimum public transportation conditions, riding the bus will save 37 seconds over walking.

Friday was the last day of WORD, an exhibit of paintings and mixed media containing words, with guest curator Danielle Steel. I am fascinated by art, books and words. However, most word and book exhibits I eagerly go to, then find myself underwhelmed. The exception is the annual BookArtsJam held at Foothill College every October.

Donning my sunglasses again, I powerwalked to Third Street and caught a three block bus ride to SFMOMA. It was actually a two block bus ride. Since it was an articulated bus, I got on at the front and walked a half block back to the rear of the bus. When I got off, I walked a half block up to the front of the bus.

The Richard Avedon exhibit at SFMOMA still has several months to run. Avedon is another famous photographer who had a big career in the fashion world. Appreciation: The average photographer takes a picture of someone who isn’t smiling, and the effect is one of despair, sadness, irritation, lack of energy. A professional photographer takes the same picture, and oodles of character emerge. Of course, it helps if, for example, you are a drifter in Sparks, Nevada, and for the picture you change from a torn army jacket into a Ralph Lauren blazer.

My final stop was the Contemporary Jewish Museum nearby. I was carrying a little too much metal, so it took a while to pass through the airport style security. Inside, I received a discounted ticket since some exhibits were being installed.

Chagall and the Artists of the Russian Jewish Theater runs through September 7. The exhibit includes murals, posters, paintings, drawings, programs, video, collage, constructions, and more. I especially enjoyed the Cubist style full color drawings of actors in costume, including those by Chagall and Ignaty Nivinsky, as well as several miniature architectural constructions of theater sets.

Since I made it back to MUNI before my transfer expired, the ride home was free.

By Phil Gravitt

Julie at Tedda Hughes

My friend Julie Michelle who writes the popular blog, Tangobaby, is having an opening this Saturday at Tedda Hugues. Pop by this Saturday evening for the opening reception where she (along with some other artists) will showcase the best of her urban landscapes for the first time.

Tedda's gallery boutique is located at 1623 Polk St. (between Sacramento and Clay Sts.). The reception runs from 7 to 10pm.

http://7x7.com/blogs/clamour/local-artists-showcase-work-teddas-boutique

http://tangobaby2.blogspot.com/

Spirit of the North: New gallery opening at the De Young

The De Young just opened a new art gallery devoted to Eskimo and Inuit art. The artworks on view are all gifts to the museum from the Estate of the late Thomas G. Fowler (1943-2006), a multitalented artist, designer, collector and businessman. During his lifetime, he made many trips to Alaska, creating a comprehensive collection of rarity and scope that is unique in the Western United States. He started his collection in the 1970's and his passion for the Far North lead to the founding of the Inua Gallery and the 400-piece collection which is now the basis for collection now on display at the De Young.

More at:
http://www.examiner.com/x-13996-SF-Museum-Examiner

Register for Indy Arts Expo and symposium

Coming up near the end of September are two related events hosted by Independent Arts & Media. Indy Arts describes itself this way: “Independent Arts & Media is a producer's co-op and media/culture incubator with a mission to expand civic dialogue by increasing access to independent voices. We empower, educate and incubate independent art and media projects.” Their website provides resources and updates about their workshops and other events.

The first event -- a symposium entitled “Art Works When Artists Work” -- takes place on Friday, September 25^th in Berkeley. This will be a full afternoon of discussion, panels, workshops, and networking following a keynote address by Arlene Goldbard, Author of New Creative Community, The Art of Cultural Development. Tickets to this event range from $0-35.00. No one will be turned away for inability to pay, but you need to register first.

The second event will be the next day, Saturday, September 26. This will be the 10^th Annual Expo for Independent Arts, to be held on the Music Concourse in Golden Gate Park. They expect up to 200 arts organizations to participate. You can simply attend the expo, or you can sign up to exhibit at this event as part of an arts-related organization. (Unfortunately, solo artists are not able to exhibit here.)

In a later post I will talk a bit more about my limited experience with Indy Arts. Based on what I’ve seen, their level of professionalism and commitment is very high. So I’d really encourage you to sign up for the Expo events coming up in – ooh – just four weeks!

The Way of Tea; Tea Bowls at the Asian

Black teabowl, raku ware, by Hosokawa Morihiro (born 1938), Japan. Heisei period (1989–), 2007. Glazed earthenware. Collection of the artist, H2. © Shinchōsha Publishing Co, Ltd. Photo by Nonaka Akio.

Essay up at: http://www.examiner.com/x-13996-SF-Museum-Examiner

San Francisco Zine Fest

I visited the San Francisco ZineFest today to check out a couple of my favorite art forms: comics and artist books. The show didn't disappoint. All together it had a very indie, DIY vibe. Lots of good work here, but I'll just mention two artists I'll be following. I'm sure we'll be hearing more from these guys:



Theo Ellsworth is a self-taught artist living in Portland, Oregon.
He writes and draws comics, makes art zines, draws constantly, and on occasion, teaches workshops. He's a quiet, serene guy and he was sitting alone at his corner booth with lots of killer prints and luscious books. His work is intricate, visionary ink and watercolor drawings, somewhere between Maurice Sendak and Charles Ware. (Interview with Ellsworth HERE.)

His most recent book, "Capacity" (336 pages. Softcover. ISBN: 978-0-9799609-2-5, Price: $15.00) is available on the publisher's web site and on Amazon.



Paul Barron was chatting at a crowded table in front of a wall of posters & prints - mostly wood and linoleum block prints, including some two color/two layer prints. Very nice work, with delicate hatching, clean design, and classic social justice themes. He lives in Oakland and recently collaborated with Roberto Miguel on a piece that showed at the Whitney Museum of American Art.

He was sharing a booth with two other artists. They all jumped up and bolted when I pulled out my camera and asked if I could take their photo for this blog. (What? Do I look like the FBI or something?)

Take a hike with Carol Selter

Carol took the idea of a stay-at-home wilderness experience, her love for nature and passion for capturing it on film, and added some time, to construct a new vacation concept for busy people who can’t take the time to get away themselves.

read more at: http://artistinterviews.wordpress.com/2008/12/08/take-a-hike-with-carol-selter/

The Way of Tea; Tea Bowls at the Asian

new post up at: http://cheznamastenancy.blogspot.com/

Big Oops!

Pasquale Iannetti Art Gallery, San Francisco

For a long time I've wondered about the "originals" in this gallery. Now I know - all that glitters and all that jazz. Or, to quote an older adage, let the buyer beware:

(08-21) 07:13 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- The owner of an art gallery in San Francisco's Union Square has been indicted by a federal grand jury on fraud charges for allegedly selling fake Joan Miro limited edition prints, court records show.

Pasquale Iannetti, 69, was indicted Thursday by a grand jury in San Francisco on charges of wire and mail fraud for shipping prints purportedly authorized by Miro, the renowned Spanish Catalan painter and sculptor who died in 1983, from 2001 to 2008.

Iannetti, who runs Pasquale Iannetti Art Galleries, Inc. on Sutter Street, prides himself as a dealer since 1969 in "original prints, paintings and other works of art from the 15th century to the present," according to his Web site.

The Florentine born Iannetti studied economics at the University of Florence and moved to San Francisco in 1969, his Web site said. "Mr. Iannetti is an experienced fine art appraiser and authenticator of works on paper and has appeared on television, radio and newspapers as a commentator on art matters," it said.

Iannetti did not return a call for comment. His attorney was not immediately available today.

Iannetti obtained fake Miro prints from "a co-schemer whose identity is known to the grand jury" and knew that they bore "forged signatures and/or false numerical or other markings making them appear as if they had been part of an original limited edition, or had been prepared for the artist's own use," the indictment said.

Iannetti told his employees and customers that the prints he and his gallery were selling were original limited edition prints that had been authorized by Miro, authorities said.

He also provided sales invoices, appraisal and authenticity reports and certificates of authenticity and appraisal, knowing that the documents "contained false representations about the authenticity and origin of the prints," the indictment said.

According to federal prosecutors, Iannetti acquired the fake prints from the co-schemer on a consignment basis and paid that person a share of the proceeds.

He was indicted on eight counts of mail fraud for allegedly shipping fake Miro prints to customers across the country. He was also indicted on seven counts of wire fraud for credit-card transactions at his gallery or wire transfers in amounts ranging from $3,600 to $17,902, the indictment said.

Federal prosecutors are seeking forfeiture of any proceeds from the alleged scheme. The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

E-mail Henry K. Lee at hlee@sfchronicle.com.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/08/21/BAJE19BSDN.DTL

Friday Fish Wrap

The most exciting news of the week is that some items from the huge collection of the Mexican Museum - in storage for over twenty years - will be on display in September at the Palo Alto Art Center. The plans for a new museum were sidelined over twenty years ago due to lack of money and difficulties with the SF Redevelopment Agency. There is a possibility that the museum may finally be able to find a new home in downtown San Francisco but not before 2012 (at the earliest and money permitting). In the meantime, the show in Palo Alto will be the first chance in several years to see parts of this priceless collection.

http://www.examiner.com/x-13996-SF-Museum-Examiner

Robert Arneson: Yin and Yang

More on public sculpture up at: http://www.examiner.com/x-13996-SF-Museum-Examiner



Interactive feature at SFMOMA: http://www.sfmoma.org/multimedia/interactive_features/5

Friday Fish Wrap, August 15-16

Up at: http://www.examiner.com/x-13996-SF-Museum-Examiner

Deborah Butterfield at 425 Market St.

I spent the morning battling with the template at the Examiner.com. I finally gave up and posted a truncated version of my piece; the rest is up at

http://cheznamastenancy.blogspot.com/
http://www.examiner.com/x-13996-SF-Museum-Examiner

Larry Rivers and new acquistions

The Fine Arts Museums have bought "us" a Larry Rivers painting:
http://www.examiner.com/x-13996-SF-Museum-Examiner
Plus more about the new acquisitions and upcoming shows at
http://cheznamastenancy.blogspot.com/

Friday Fish Wrap: August 8th

At the De Young: Kuzich presents Fast Pass, a large mixed media wall installation made of San Francisco Muni Fast Passes and CDs. In addition, Kuzich offers five unique projects that encourage visitor participation. The workshops are inspired by the diverse collections and exhibitions of the de Young.

Widely known throughout the Bay Area, Fast Pass is a multipanel assemblage inspired by Kuzich’s fascination with complex color relationships, his natural affinity for the elegance of design and symmetry, his passion for collecting interesting objects, and his 30-year investigation into the psychology of the human experience. The four panels combined are 5 x 28 feet in size and are comprised of 3,188 graphic elements. The complex surface integrates multi colored stripes, silver and gold holograms, letterforms, and reflective CDs.

Children and adults are invited to participate in the IMAGINATION workshops. The projects are based on works in the de Young and have been styled to generate a greater understanding and appreciation of the collections. “I was stunned and amazed when I was researching the collections. I learned so much and was greatly inspired as an artist. I want others to discover more too,” explains John Kuzich.

5 IMAGINATION projects include:
• King Tut/Egypt stone rubbings
• Africa/New Guinea mask collage
• Wayne Theibaud collage
• Louise Nevelson assemblage
• Inca/Aztec stone rubbings

Participants may create stone rubbings using carved linoleum blocks and colorful oil crayons. Participants may also cut out and incorporate prints with various exotic papers, beads, and shells to create a decorative assemblage.

The Artist Studio is presented by Cultural Encounters at the de Young. The Kimball Education Gallery is free to the public. The gallery is open to visitors from Wednesday through Sunday, 1–5 pm and Friday 6–8:45 pm. John Kuzich is available to provide assistance and instruction during gallery hours. The closing reception for IMAGINATION is on Friday, August 21 from 6–8:30 pm. For more information, e-mail cinaba@famsf.org or call 415.750.3528.

Cultural Encounters: Friday Nights at the de Young Presents Cultural Encounters Commissions Artist Onye Onyemaechi and the Art of Africa from 5 PM -8:45 PM


The Way of Tea: Tea Gathering and Tasting
Asian Art Museum

Watch and learn about the Japanese "Way of Tea" as you are served you own tea sweet and bowl of whisked green tea. Utilizing the museum's traditional tearoom, Bay Area tea people host these tea gatherings, which feature seasonal themes.

Saturday, August 8

1:00 pm and 2:30 pm (pick one seating)

Hosted by Shozo Sato, Dai Nippon Chado Gakkai

http://www.asianart.org/teaartsresources.htm

Oakland Museum: For the first time in its 40-year history, the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) will temporarily close to the public. The break—effective 5 p.m. on Sunday, August 23—will allow the Museum to reinstall the Art and History Galleries, upgrade the common areas, and complete its transformation.

http://www.museumca.org/

And two street fairs:

36th Annual Nihonmachi Street Fair
On Saturday and Sunday, August 8th and 9th in San Francisco's Japantown, the Nihonmachi Street Fair will take to the streets again for another exciting weekend. With the spirit of unity, we welcome back old friends and open our hearts to new friendships.

http://www.nihonmachistreetfair.org/

At Yerba Buena Gardens:
http://www.pistahan.net/

Max Klinger at the Legion: About A Glove

Max Klinger, German, 1857 - 1920
Penelope, 1895
Color etching and aquatint
18.9 x 30 cm (image)
Achenbach Foundation for Graphic Arts 1963.30.1556

New post up at the Examiner.com on the current show at the Legion of Honor on Max Klinger, the symbolist artist who influenced painters like De Chirico.
http://www.examiner.com/x-13996-SF-Museum-Examiner

Rotating the collections: Samurai, Part Deux

Light sensitive objects must be rotated to prevent damage. The list of sensitive objects includes paintings, textiles, lacquers, and most other objects composed of organic materials. The Asian is being careful with the mid-point rotation of the Samurai exhibit to fit objects into the existing thematic content and flow of the exhibit. When possible, they try and rotate objects of similar type, function, and subject.


Portrait of Hosokawa Shigekata (1720-1785) (left) will be replaced with a Portrait of Hosokowa Tsunatoshi (right). © Eisei Bunko, Japan.



With so many unique objects, sometimes no direct substitute is available. In such situations they choose replacement objects that support the theme considered in a particular part of the exhibition. For example, the leisure activities of the Daimyo are represented by a Go game board and go stone containers in the first rotation (left), and an Incense ceremony box and implements in the upcoming rotation (right). © Eisei Bunko, Japan.

Some rotations involve objects with similar functions but different forms, such as this Commander’s Baton (saihai) (left) used by Hosokawa Narimori (1804-1860) being replaced by a Folding Military Fan (gunsen) (right). Both objects are used to communicate on the battlefield. © Eisei Bunko, Japan.



Some objects rotate without ever leaving the gallery. For The Book of Five Rings (Gorin no sho), they will change each of the five scrolls to display a new section of text. Rolled up, the previously displayed sections will be safely protected from continued light exposure.

Because they prefer not to close the galleries during the exhibit, the rotations will be done after house. As a result, the rotation will be spread out over several days. Over the next week or so, you may notice that some galleries have been rotated and others are still waiting their turn. You may even find a case to have a temporarily vacant spot. Don’t worry, it won’t be empty for long!

Because of the extreme delicacy and importance of many of these treasures, the rotation process needs to be undertaken slowly and deliberately. They are scheduled to have completed the rotation by the time that the museum opens on Tuesday, August 11. On that date, be prepared for a fresh look at Lords of the Samurai.

From the Asian Art Museum Blog: http://www.asianart.org/blog/