Over the weekend, Kevin and I went to the "Monet to Picasso" exibit at the The Utah Museum of Fine Arts. What cool set of unique pieces: Lots of Monets, Rodins, a couple of Van Goghs, a Dali, and oh yes, Picassos. If you go, wait for the free audio set--it's worth it.
This exhibit also made me realize how much I don't know about art history. I'll always be sad that I didn't take a university-level art history class when I had the chance. Instead, I only find art very mysterious.
One thing I learned is that Rodin's "The Thinker" is symbollic of Dante plotting The Divine Comedy. That creates a whole new meaning for that piece for me. How the physical ability in the sculpture represents a mind capable of taking on such a huge task.
And this is my favorite piece in the show:
This is a piece Monet did of his future wife. He captured her in this pose like a camera's snapshot. The whole idea that this is like a snapshot, even though a photgraphic lens was not developed enough at the time to take snapshots, just intrigues me. It makes me contemplate my own anachronistic observation I impose on the painting. The closed doors and the sideways glance also imply future separation (she later died in childbirth). So it's sad and beautiful.
10 comments:
I've been wanting to go to this exhibit, so I'm glad that you give it two thumbs up. I've never seen that Monet before; I agree with you that it is haunting.
Wow, that sounds like an AWESOME exhibit! How long does it run?
It's through Sept. 21. I hope you get to go!
And just an FYI, an explanation on the title: I took the spelling from Flannery O'Connor's _Wise_Blood_, which is hilarious:
"In a second, Enoch gripped his arm again and stopped him. He pointed down through the trees. 'Muvseevum,' he said. The strange word made him shiver. That was the first time he had ever said it aloud. A piece of gray building was showing where he pointed. There were columns at the front of it and in between each column there was an eyeless stone woman holding a pot on her head. A concrete band was over the columns and the letters, MVSEVM, were cut into it. Enoch was afraid to pronounce the word again."
Enoch them embarks on a ridiculous journey to steal a mummy from this "mvsevm." I don't know, it just seemed to fit with this post.
the thinker always made us think, nice show
It looks like a great exhibit. Thanks for sharing. Ryan and I will have to try to go.
I keep forgetting to go to this. Thanks for reminding me. I need some good solitary reflection time!
"The Thinker" is one of my favorites.
I like that last picture - oddly enough, as soon as I saw it, I immediately thought, "Jo in 'Little Women.'" :) I don't think that's what it was supposed to be, but it just reminded me of her. I read too much...
Heidi, I don't think that thought came to full consciousness with me, but now that you mention it, I think the same thing!
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