“Art does not reproduce what we see. It makes us see.” —Paul Klee
If what we see shapes who we are, what better reason is there to make an effort to see art? For me, art is a prelude to discovery; it is a symbol of a point in time and history that can help navigate the present and future.
In searching for art to see I have noticed that in New York, many exhibitions lead towards being completely somber or utterly frivolous. The Andy Warhol exhibition at the Whitney somehow manages to be both.
Somewhere in the middle are the following:
Frida Kahlo: Appearances Can Be Deceiving
February 8 to May 12, 2019
Brooklyn Museum of Art
@brooklynmuseum
200 Eastern Pkwy, Brooklyn, NY 11238
The Brooklyn Museum is yet another institution that will showcase Frida Kahlo’s personal affects along with her art.
You could say the focus on Kahlo’s personal items and personal aesthetic overshadows her work. Or you could argue that her aesthetic is part of her art. Either way, I have yet to see an exhibition that does Kahlo justice, but Appearances is the largest exhibition in ten years in the U.S. dedicated to Kahlo, so I am hopeful.
Insight into the Artist:
• The Commodification of Frida Kahlo: Are We Losing the Artist Under the Kitsch?
• Excerpt: The Inconvenient Spectacle of Frida Kahlo
In Praise of Painting: Dutch Masterpieces at the Met
October 16, 2018 to October 4, 2020
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 Fifth Avenue, New York NY 10028
@metmuseum
There are times when you need an escape from conceptual art, when you need to see a beautiful painting. “Dutch Masterpieces” is this solution.
Here, the Met offers the experience of viewing its collection of paintings from the seventeenth century, “the Golden Age of Rembrandt, Hals, and Vermeer” specially curated to create a historical and visual experience of everyday life during this time. Themes include “Behind Closed Doors,” “Lives of Woman” and “Eloquent Things.”
Insight into the Exhibition:
• Honoring a Legacy: The Conservation of Margareta Haverman’s A Vase of Flowers
• An audio guide of the exhibition
Hilmfa af Klint: Paintings for the Future
October 12, 2018 to April 23, 2019
Guggenheim Museum
@guggenheim
1071 5th Ave, New York, NY 10128
Hilmfa af Klint’s abstract art created between 1906 and 1920 is the subject for this exhibition. At the time, she realized that her art inspired by math, spirituality and botany would not be appreciated until sometime in the future, and her work remained virtually unseen until the 1980s.
Today she is considered a pioneer of abstract art and an artist who was ahead of her time, and ahead of other celebrated abstract artists that grace the walls of major museums.
Insight into the artist:
• Notes from the Guggenheim
• Hilma Who? No more
The Judd Foundation
101 Spring Street
@juddfoundation
The Judd Foundation isn’t hosting a specific show, but I have been meaning to see to see this space for quite some time. The five-story building at 101 Spring Street served as artist Donald Judd’s studio and permanent residence from 1968 to his death in 1994.
It is difficult describe Judd’s art. He refused to be labeled a “minimalist.” He is known for his “three dimensional works” but I imagine that he wouldn’t want to be a sculptor either. His goal was to break away from European traditions, but also abstractionists who also claimed the same.
Overall, he seems like s a fascinating person.
Insight into the artist:
• An interview with Flavin Judd
• Questions to Stella and Judd
God Made My Face: A Collective Portrait of James
January 10—February 16, 2019
David Zwirner Gallery
@davidzwirner
For the Pulitzer Prize winning curator Hilton Als, James Baldwin is a vital source of inspiration whose influence has motivated his own writing. It is fitting that Als has curated this group exhibition that includes works by Richard Avedon, Beauford Delaney, Marlene Dumas, and Alice Neel to pay tribute to Baldwin.
Baldwin’s writing is in the midst of revival. Despite the adversities Baldwin faced in life, he used writing to create a rich life.
After viewing Als’ curation of Alice Neel’s exhibition last year, which was impeccably organized, I look forward to seeing his tribute. As always, DZ is the perfect place to start when embarking on the galleries in Chelsea.
Insight into the exhibition:
• Hilton Als Discusses James Baldwin’s Legacy
• James Baldwin’s Paris
