REVIEW THE ALLURE OF VENICE WHISTLER HOUSE MUSEUM OF ART 243 WORTHEN STREET LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS THROUGH JUNE 23 Whistler House Museum of Art, in partnership with Fry Fine Art, is presenting a special exhibit of paintings by underappreciated late 19th century New England artist Walter Franklin Lansil. “Allure of Venice” presents 70 paintings depicting the lagoon, canals and architecture of Venice, one of the world’s great cultural sites. Venice’s fabled appeal to artists and writers begins with the city’s unique history. For centuries, the Republic of Venice, ruled by an extremely wealthy and powerful merchant class, was an economic powerhouse, serving as an essential link in the trade routes between Europe and Asia. During the 15th and 16th centuries, patronage of the arts became an active competition among the rich, with individuals, families and the Republic’s … [Read more...] about ALLURE OF VENICE: LANSIL AT WHISTLER
May/June 2018
EARLY MODERN MASTERS: THE PRENDERGASTS AT NEW BRITAIN
REVIEW AMERICAN POST-IMPRESSIONISTS: MAURICE & CHARLES PRENDERGAST NEW BRITAIN MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART 56 LEXINGTON STREET NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT THROUGH JUNE 10 “American Post-Impressionists: Maurice & Charles Prendergast,” now at The New Britain Museum of American Art (NBMAA), serves up a bounteous survey of these two important, early modern masters. More than 100 works — including paintings, sculptures, frames, sketchbooks, photographs, letters and tools — have been drawn from the NBMAA permanent collection and the Prendergast Archive & Study Center at Williams College Museum of Art in Williamstown, Mass. The exhibition begins with Maurice’s early watercolors and a marvelous mosaic, inspired by his encounter with Italy’s Festa Del Redentore (ca. 1898). In just a few years, Maurice would be hailed as a leader of the American avant-garde, while his … [Read more...] about EARLY MODERN MASTERS: THE PRENDERGASTS AT NEW BRITAIN
ILLUSION AT FULLER CRAFT: MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE
REVIEW TRICKS OF THE TRADE: ILLUSIONS IN CRAFT-BASED MEDIA FULLER CRAFT MUSEUM 455 OAK STREET BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS THROUGH NOVEMBER 18 The tradition of trompe l’oeil painting dates back to at least ancient Pompeii, although the French term — which translates to English as “to deceive the eye” — didn’t originate until the Baroque era. It refers to a hyperrealistic painting style that employs spatial illusion — tricks of perspective, composition and shadow — to fool the viewer into believing that what is two-dimensional is three. Trompe l’oeil has a long and storied history, ripe with symbolism and mythology. An ancient Greek legend tells of the competition between two painters, Zeuxis and Parrhasius. Zeuxis paints a still life so realistic that birds descend from the sky to steal the grapes. Parrhasius responds by inviting his rival to view his painting behind a pair … [Read more...] about ILLUSION AT FULLER CRAFT: MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE
LAYERS AND LIGHT: JOHNSON AND MEHTA AT BEACON
FEATURED GALLERY LAYERS & LIGHT: THE ARTWORK OF AJA JOHNSON AND LORI MEHTA While much of what a gallery owner or curator does goes unseen — the behind-the-scenes tasks of running an arts business — to me, one of the primary jobs of this profession is making connections. It is the connections found between artists, their work, the public and the art market that can infect an audience with enthusiasm (or not) and can bring art to life. A certain amount of sophistication is required to do this — as is a solid art background and a good eye. What will resonate with the audience? How will the artists complement or contrast with one another, and what is the current artistic trend? These are all considerations; but sometimes the connections are less obvious and need to be mined. The finale of bringing together these elements results in a unique and growing artist stable and, … [Read more...] about LAYERS AND LIGHT: JOHNSON AND MEHTA AT BEACON