A celebration of the life and works of John James Audubon

Audubon, Golden Eagle, 1833–4

John James Audubon (Jean-Jacques Audubon) (April 26, 1785 - January 27, 1851) was a French-American ornithologist, naturalist, and painter. He was notable for his expansive studies to document all types of American birds and for his detailed illustrations that depicted the birds in their natural habitats.

 Audubon, White Gyrfalcons

His major work, a color-plate book entitled The Birds of America (1827-1839), is considered one of the finest ornithological works ever completed. Audubon identified 25 new species.

 In this image: John James Audubon (1785?1851), Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) and Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus), Study for Havell pl. no. 76, ca. 1825. Watercolor, pastel, graphite, black ink, oil, gouache, black chalk, collage, and outlining with a stylus on paper, with selective glazing on paper, laid on card; 25 13/16 x 39 3/8 in. (65.6 x 100 cm).

http://www.examiner.com/article/a-celebration-of-the-works-of-john-james-audubon

Happy Birthday Richard Diebenkorn

http://www.examiner.com/article/happy-birthday-richard-diebenkorn

The week ahead: Leonora Carrington at Gallery Wendi Norris and more

I have to confess that this is not one of my better written columns; it is pretty straightforward but that does not mean you shouldn't see the shows. I mean - Leonora Carrington, Romare Bearden, Creativity Explored and Gallery 16 all in one small city. How cool is that? Surrealism, African-American Art, the unique artists at CE AND Rex Ray whose powerful graphic design has gathered him international recognition. Carrington deserves - and has - volumes writen about her work. The twenty works on exhibit at Wendi Norris is just a small selection of her oeuvre. Carrington’s exhibition will include roughly ten rarely exhibited oil paintings in addition to a seven-piece gouache series that was on view at the Guggenheim’s seminal exhibition, "Surrealism: Two Private Eyes,"  the Nesushi Etegun and Daniel Filipacchi Collections in 1999.

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   The "Celtic Surrealist" in the title of the show is a bit of a stretch but as the work was first shown in Dublin, it makes sense to tie it to a specific location. One tapestry - that of the hunter, dogs and horned deer could pass for Celtic but those figures are also part of ancient Indo-European mythology. 

   

  The rest of the work is not Irish at all but still, what differences does a title make. If the Irish want to claim her as a Celt (and her mother was Irish), why not?

   

  "The Celtic Surrealist" at Gallery Wendi Norris. Through May 31.  11 A.M to 6 P.M. Tuesday through Saturday. 161 Jessie Street. San Francisco, (415) 346-7812.

   

  If Duchamp can call a urinal a work of art, the Irish can claim that Carrington - English born, the lover of German Max Ernst and who lived most of her long life in Mexico - is using Irish symbolism. and mythology in her art. 

   

  It is exciting to see that Romare Bearden, the master of collage, is also the master of watercolors, that most difficult of mediums. Bearden’s collages in "Storyteller" — including mural maquettes, an Olympic poster, and a book jacket for a collection of poems by African writers — highlight the artist’s mastery.

   

  

   Baptism

   

  His watercolors were originally commissioned for the opening titles of the 1980 film Gloria with the vibrant colors reflecting his Caribbean heritage. 

   

  Prints based on his collages are showcased in his Odyssey series, which illustrates Homer’s epic poem; the series seemingly departs from his best-known work of edgy urban and jazz scenes or his depictions of African American life in the rural South. Yet, because Bearden depicts these Greek mythological figures as black, he invites a comparison between classical myth and African American culture. Viewers may liken the Greek king Odysseus’ arduous and heroic ten-year search for home after the Trojan War to African American struggles. 

   

  

  At the dock.

   Replacing white characters with black figures, Bearden attempts to defeat the rigidness of racial roles and stereotypes and open up the possibilities and potentials of blacks. Bearden says about this series and his work in general, "What I tried to do is take the elements of African American life….and place it in a universal framework."

  
  Romare Bearden: Storyteller: Through June 21. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, until 5 p.m. Saturday. Jenkins Johnson Gallery, 464 Sutter St., S.F. (415) 677-0770.www.jenkinsjohnsongallery.com.

  
  

  http://www.examiner.com/article/the-week-ahead-leonora-carrington-at-wendi-norris-and-more

Getty Villa Moves ‘Heaven and Earth’ for Byzantine Art Exhibition

Byzantium - or it's artistic heritage - is now on display at the Getty Villa in Los Angeles. The show is drawn from 34 national collections in Greece and spans more than 1,300 years from the very pagan beginnings of Byzantium, through the synthesis of pagan and Christian art portraying both the decades of glory and the grief of decline.

http://www.examiner.com/article/at-the-getty-heaven-and-earth-art-of-byzantium-from-greek-collections?CID=examiner_alerts_article

Matisse's illustrated books on view at the Legion of Honor

 

Henri Matisse was 60 years old when he began to create original illustrations for livres d’artiste (artists’ books). By the time of his death, 25 years later, he had produced designs for 14 fully illustrated books, several of which are considered 20th-century masterpieces of the genre. View seven of these rare books, including Poésies (1932) and Pasiphaé (1944), in conjunction with the special exhibition "Matisse from SFMOMA" at the Legion of Honor.

More at:  http://www.examiner.com/article/matisse-s-illustrated-books-at-the-legion-and-happy-birthday-to-van-gogh

Weekend Picks for March 28 - 30

The cosmic Buddha Ratnasambhva, approx 1275 - 1350

Asian Art Museum: "Enter the Mandala" - a small but powerful exhibit of 14th-century Buddhist paintings which are aligned in a 2nd floor gallery with the cardinal directions.

 The cosmic Buddha Vairochana, Tibet, Approx 1100- 1250

The space is transformed into an architectural mandala. Those who walk the patterned floor have a chance to experience the images in three dimensions and to dwell in the midst of the cosmic symbols and be transported to another world.

 Impressionists and more at: http://www.examiner.com/article/weekend-picks-for-march-28-30

Meridian, Roots Division and ArtZone 461 art galleries at risk of closing

"Emanus" by William Wolff - currently showing at ArtZone 461.

Calling all art angels...http://www.examiner.com/article/meridian-gallery-roots-division-artzone-461-at-risk

The Salon Doré to reopen in April

Of of all the museums in the Bay Area, the Legion of Honor gives the strongest sense of being both French and 18th century. Of course it is not; the Legion's beautiful Beaux arts building was build to commemorate Californian soldiers who died in World War I.

But so much in the collection is French and is reminiscent of the arts of living in 18th century France (if you were an aristocrat or/ had lots of money).

There is Francois Boucher's delicious painting of Marie-Louise O’Murphy, one of the many young mistresses of Louis XV.

Their collection of 18th century English and French porcelain

Prints such at Jean-Guillame Moiette's "Sacrafice to Diana." Pen and brown ink with white heightening on blue paper (later 18th century). Below

Or this anonymous drawing of a graceful beauty, red ink on cream laid paper.

Denis-Jean de La Villgueray may have been one of the urbane elite that visited the salon; we will never know.

 

Jean-Antoine Watteau (French, 1684–1721). The Foursome (La Partie Quarrée), ca. 1713. Oil on canvas. Museum purchase, Mildred Anna Williams Collection. 1977.8 

Ranked among the greatest artists of France, Jean-Antoine Watteau’s enigmatic themes were popular, influential, and widely collected during his lifetime. Born in Valenciennes, then part of Flanders, his intensely personal style was informed by the Venetian masters, whom he studied in Paris, and by a deep affinity for music and theater.

In this painting, known as a fête galantes, the artist evokes an arcadian dreamland of music, conversation and amorous dalliance. Although the work’s title can be defined simply as a party with two couples, the risqué implications of The Foursome remains unchanged from the eighteenth century. This union of observation and fantasy, plus ambiguity of intent and erotic connotations is characteristic of Watteau’s best work.

Dalliance in the salon? Mais bien sûr! As well as politics, witty repartee and all the arts that made this era so delicious for the privileged.

But, lacking Dr. Who's telephone box or a time travel machine,  being at the Legion and walking through the elegant rooms is one of the only ways we have to mentally reconstruct that world at it's most gilded and sumptuous.

http://www.examiner.com/article/the-salon-dor-reopens-at-the-legion-of-honor-april

Rudolf Bauer at Weinstein Gallery and more

I see that the works of Rudolf Bauer will be opening at Weinstein on March 15 - looks like a fascinating exhibit.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudolf_Bauer_%28artist%29

Realm of the Spirit runs March 15 to April 20 at Weinstein Gallery (383 Geary Street). Bauer runs March 18 to April 19 at the San Francisco Playhouse (450 Post Street).
Read more at http://www.7x7.com/arts-culture/hunt-slonem-s-iconic-rabbit-paintings-and-more-intriguing-art-openings#OF0fV4J23HUyZLMM.99

Bunnies at Sorokko Gallery, nightlife at the museums and Pi day:

http://www.examiner.com/article/the-rediscovery-of-rudolph-bauer-nightlife-at-the-museums-and-pi-day

Realm of the Spirit runs March 15 to April 20 at Weinstein Gallery (383 Geary Street). Bauer runs March 18 to April 19 at the San Francisco Playhouse (450 Post Street).
Read more at http://www.7x7.com/arts-culture/hunt-slonem-s-iconic-rabbit-paintings-and-more-intriguing-art-openings#OF0fV4J23HUyZLMM.99

Bay Area art picks for the week of March 10

 Zachary Adams. Tiger Dance Party. Creativity Explored.

It's lions and tigers and bears (Oh my) at Creativity Explored, elephants at the Berkeley Art Museum & Pacific Film Archive (BAM/PFA), paintings inspired by ancient Greece and Rome at the Italian Cultural Institute and an ongoing series of lectures and art demonstrations in honor of International Women's Week at the San Francisco Public Library.  The only thing the art viewer will need is good walking shoes and an extra dose of energy.
http://www.examiner.com/article/bay-area-art-picks-for-the-week-of-march-10

Gallery Openings This Week: Karthryn Arnold, William Wolff, Christopher Martin and more

Kathryn Arnold

 William Wolff

http://www.examiner.com/article/gallery-openings-kathryn-arnold-william-wolff-and-art-hazlewood-and-more

'Yoga. The Art of Transformation' at the Asian

For most of us, the word “yoga” conjures up images of impossible body contortions, limited to the young, the limber and those fascinated by a certain image of India. Others, of a more spiritual bent, know yoga through the writings of Yogendra.

The current show, “Yoga and the Art of Transformation” shows how little we knew.

Gathered from 25 museums and private collections across the globe, the 135 artworks date from the 2nd to the 20th centuries. The exhibit debuted in October in Washington, D.C., at the Smithsonian Institution's Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.  But it had to come to California  - possibly the first place where yoga was taken seriously in the West.

http://www.examiner.com/article/yoga-the-art-of-transformation-at-the-asian-art-museum

The week ahead in Bay Area art

http://www.examiner.com/article/the-week-ahead-bay-area-art

Celebrate the Year of the Horse at the Asian Art Museum

It’s the Lunar New Year and the Chinese Year of the Horse. The horse is part of a 12-year-cycle of animals that make up the Chinese zodiac. These interact with the five elements: wood, metal, fire, water, earth. 2014 is the year of the wood horse, taking over from the year of the water snake.

With the Year of the Snake slithering into history, they say that the incoming Lunar New Year beginning on Friday is going to be the kind of horse that you shouldn't stand behind -- because it incorporates the volatile element of fire.

http://www.examiner.com/article/celebrate-the-year-of-the-horse-at-the-asian-art-museum

RIP Pete Singer, musician, activist and America's social conscience

http://cheznamastenancy.blogspot.com/2014/01/rip-pete-seeger.html

Free on line access to Getty Publications

http://www.examiner.com/list/getty-publications-provides-free-on-line-access-to-backlist-titles

The week ahead: 'Neighbors' in the Tenderloin and more..

@ Troy Holden

"Neighbors" closes tomorrow but it's worth the trip to the hood to see the gritty, honest and tender portraits of our close neighbors. For "amateur" photographer Troy Holden, it took a year of canvassing just to get 50 willing subjects to form the exhibition "Neighbors." Holden who lives in Bernal Heights, discovered the Tenderloin on his first day in San Francisco in 1996. The photos range from tender to gritty but each is an honest, beautiful look at at those who live in a part of the city that we often hurry through with our eyes averted.

Troy Holden's website: http://troyholden.com/

"Neighbors:" Troy Holden's portraits of the Tenderloin, Through Wednesday. Lower Branch Gallery, 233 Eddy St., S.F. (415) 525-4626. www.lowerbranch.com.
Review: SF Gate: http://www.sfgate.com/art/article/Troy-Holden-snaps-people-of-the-Tenderloin-in-5159985.php

More at:  http://www.examiner.com/list/the-week-ahead-portraits-of-the-tenderloin-gallery-crawl-oakland-art-murmur?CID=examiner_alerts_article

Celebrate Martin Luther King's legacy at the Museum of the African Diaspora

The Museum of the African Diaspora will be celebrating Martin Luther King's birthday, life and legacy by hosting a full day of programs, exhibits, performances and art.

To honor the Nobel Peace Prize winner’s life and bring people together, MoAD is offering free admission to the museum and all of its exhibits, performances and programs for the entire day.

“This year, I am remembering the struggle to make Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday a federal day of remembrance. I especially remember signing the mighty petition for Congress to pass the law,” said Linda Harrison, Executive Director of MoAD. MLK Day was first observed in 1986.

Normally, MoAD is closed on Monday and Tuesday. But this special Monday, the museum has put together a program that includes film, photography, poetry and musical performances that celebrate the lasting greatness of King.

 Jamie Treacy A Crystalline Hub For Potential Memory. http://jamietreacy.com/

MLK Day celebrations start on the sidewalk with Jamie Treacy’s chalk art from 1-3 p.m.

 At 11:30 a.m., Brooklyn’s Castle will be screened on the second floor. The movie tells the stories of five members of the chess team at a below-the-poverty-line inner city junior high school that has won more national championships than any other in the country. The film follows the challenges these kids face in their personal lives as well as on the chessboard, and is as much about the sting of their losses as it is about the anticipation of their victories.(film and discussion 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. )

The celebration then moves to spoken word and poetry performances by "Young, Gifted and Talented from Oakland," a youth cultural arts and education repertory group (2 - 3 p.m.). Freedom stories will be shared by the Bay Area Veterans of the Civil Rights Movement through poetry, photos and music from 3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
An art project and a scavenger hunt will be held for the younger set. Films about King, his life, struggle and successes, will be shown in the Wells Fargo Heritage Center from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

About MoAD
Since 2005, the Museum of the African Diaspora showcases the history, art and cultural richness that resulted from the dispersal of Africans throughout the world, with innovative and engaging exhibitions, education and public programs. As a nonprofit organization, the museum’s operations and programs are supported by grants and contributions from public and private sources.”

The week ahead. Asian Art Museum, Creativity Explored, Fouladi Projects, Mark Wolfe Gallery, ArtHaus

At the Asian: "In Grand Style" closes this Sunday (Jan 12). n 1795, King Jeongjo journeyed to his father's mausoleum in an elaborate mile-long procession of thousands of people. The king ordered court officials to meticulously document the occasion, resulting in the royal protocol––several volumes of books containing every detail. This is just one of the fascinating stories in the first major U.S. exhibition exploring the colorful celebrations of Korea's Joseon dynasty. The illustrious era is brought to life by 110 exquisite artworks from Korea, many of which are in the U.S. for the first time.

Through the art, “In Grand Style” explores four key themes: what it meant to be a king during the Joseon dynasty; royal processions and banquets; women at the royal court; and the lives and celebrations of the Joseon dynasty’s subjects.

The Joseon period has left a substantial legacy to modern Korea; much of modern Korean etiquette, cultural norms, societal attitudes towards current issues, and the modern Korean language and its dialects derive from the culture and traditions of Joseon. The exhibit is full of exquisite objects and gives the viewer a comprehensive look at the life lived by the elite

http://www.examiner.com/list/the-asian-art-museum-presents-grand-style-masterpieces-from-korea

Camille Holvoet at Creativity Explored: Camille Holvoet has worked at CE for 12 years making brightly-colored, desirous cakes, and cross-eyed smiling figures in oil pastels and other media. This past year, she created a series of astounding and provocative self-portraits. The background of these drawings include scrawled narrative text and blunt statements of the artist’s desires. While cheerful at first glance, these commanding graphic works also reveal Holvoet's experiences of living in mental institutions, frustrated sexuality, and vivid memories of childhood.

More at:  http://www.examiner.com/article/the-week-ahead-asian-art-museum-fouladi-mark-wolfe-gallery-arthaus

Weekend Picks for Jan 3 - 5

There are a lot of good shows this week - several are wrapping up next week. But I decided to go with art that speaks to my heart - the artists at Creativity Explored, the artists at Arc who have visualized aspects of women's reproductive rights and Beth Van Hoesen's portraits of the Castro's  drag queens, leather daddies, and  activists.
http://www.examiner.com/list/weekend-picks-for-january-3-5-outsider-art-choice-at-arc-and-more