The Rose Art Museum recently opened a series of exhibitions on Tuesday, Feb. 10, all centered on a specific theme, and all of which will bedazzle the eye and intrigue the mind.
Although it is an almost impossible feat to accurately convey the complexity of the artwork—its abounding colors, abstract design and intricate technique—it is possible to say that the work is creative and thought provoking in its own right. As I ventured around the Rose, one particular bystander caught my attention; he remained in front of one painting for more than half an hour, just gazing into the depths of abstraction. I was almost inclined to ask him what he saw and what the art was telling him. Then again, I realized that this was not an entirely new phenomenon, and that each work called me to dissect its every shape, stroke and line.
One of the exhibitions, titled “Pretty Raw: After and Around Helen Frankenthaler,” was assembled using the title artist’s, Helen Frankenthaler, artwork as a way of reevaluating modernist art. Both male and female artists were featured in this specific exhibition, and some of the contributors include Grace Hartigan, Al Leslie and Dwight Ripley. Frankenthaler was famous for saying, “I literally wanted to break free, put it on the floor, throw the paint around,” which completely captures her struggle, as an artist, to express herself. Helen Frankenthaler’s words ring true for many female artists who experienced similar hardship as they tried to navigate through a field dominated by men.
One piece in “Pretty Raw” was interesting because of its unique form. Created by Harmony Hammond, the piece took the form of a large blanket, the result of many small pieces of fabric tied together and painted. As quoted by the artist, “I painted on blankets curtains, and bedspreads recycled from women friends, literally putting my life in my art. These new pieces could be touched, retouched, repaired and, like women’s lives, reconfigured.” In a unique way, Hammond was able to make a physical representation of the nature of her life, as women are perpetually attempting to “mend” themselves for others. The result is a dynamically altered person over the course of the lifetime, in the same way that the blanket was in a constant state of reconfiguration.
“New Acquisitions,” another exhibition, features artists who have escaped the written account of art history due to social impediments, such as racial and gender-based discrimination.This exhibit has both paintings and sculptures, most of which were made in the 1970s. All of these pieces have become part of the Rose’s collection in the past 18 months and represent the increased diversification of artwork in the museum’s collection. Artists Howardena Pindell, Sam Gilliam and Melvin Edwards are just some of the talented, previously unrecognized creators among others curated by Rose Director Chris Bedford.
Another exhibition, though not the last, is “Rose Projects 1C: Painting Blind,” which highlights various artists’ exploration of perception and reality. In the post-war world, artists Willem de Kooning, Maria Lassnig, Frank Auerbach and Georg Baselitz dabbled with a mode of artistic expression that contradicted the standard painting styles of the time. Curated by Katy Siegel, the work reflects a very emotional response to the human experience, as the line separating image and perception is made unclear. Overall, “Rose Projects 1C: Painting Blind” assembled many powerful artistic pieces that are felt when we, as viewers, experience them.
The Rose stunned and astounded. There’s really no other way to put it. Those who were there for the opening got a first look at the truly moving exhibitions (all of which can inspire if the text, found beside the paintings, are read in conjunction with the art viewing experience), and those who did not will have the chance to experience the fine work until June 7. In the case that you have free time on your hands and are low on cash, the Rose Art Museum opens its doors to you and hopes to enlighten, if not inspire.
