ART WEEK: EXPRESSIONISTS

My favorite room at MOMA was the Wassily Kandinsky gallery. The Four Panels for Edwin R. Campbell were commissioned by Edwin R. Cambpell for the entrance foyer of his Park Avenue Apartment. in 1913, Kandinsky coined the expression "Nonobjective painting" to refer to a painting that depicted no recognizable objects. He stressed the impact of color and association with music. I love how the vibrant abstract forms feel like a frozen symphony.

ART WEEK: FUTURISTS

According to Wikipedia, "Futurism was an artistic movement that originated in Italy in the early 20th century. It emphasized and glorified themes associated with contemporary concepts of the future, including speed, technology, youth and violence, and objects such as the car, the aeroplane and the industrial city."

The painterly style of the Futurists was especially eye catching at MOMA. Because of MOMA's stellar exhibit, I became better acquainted with the Rayonist artists - including the Russian Natalia Goncharova (Rayonism, Blue-Green Forest), Russian Mikhail Larionov (Rayonist Composition, Domination of Red) and Morgan Russel (Synchrony) - and can't believe they painted such forward thinking pieces in 1911-1917! Giacomo Balla was the futurist I remembered from the Graphic Design History books, and his piece seamed to leap off the wall. According to the MOMA website, "The most important aspect taken from Futurism was the idea of lines of force. The Rayonist painter was to attempt to capture the “intangible forms and immaterial objects" created by the intersection of rays reflecting off two or more objects.  

ART WEEK: CUBISTS

One of my favorite art movements of the early 20th century is Cubism. The concept of stopping time and showcasing multiple vantage points on a flat picture plane always appealed to how I experience space. MOMA has a sizable gallery displaying select Cubist works. 

Photos of these pieces do not do them justice. The colors and forms are as fresh today as when they where painted almost a century ago. Of course, MOMA showcases the classic masters, Braque, Gris and Picasso, but I liked seeing lesser know artists grouped into the time periods. I wish I had jotted down the names, but still wanted to showcase the vibrant abstractions. There definitely seems to be a resurgence in geometric abstraction amidst contemporary art today. Even the MOMA storefront featured a cubist window display!

Love the awesome search feature on Moma's homepage that helps peruse their grandiose collection in detail. 

ART WEEK: MOMA

What better way of starting off art week is showcasing the megalith of art, New York City's Museum of Modern Art? The newly updated building is the Mecca for modern art lovers. Their permanent collection is staggering in its scope and depth. Although we only had a few short hours in the museum before flying back to LA (got the chance to pop in after our last day at the National Stationery Show) so we had to find an areas of focus. We ran through the 20th century modern masters, starting with Cubists and Dadaists, ending with Futurists and Expressionists.

The central atrium serves as an anchor point for multiple floors and diverse collections. It's a fun place for people watching, seeing people interacting with art pieces on multiple levels. It is a clean (somewhat austere) modern building that lets the art take center stage. 

ART WEEK PREVIEW

Some celebrate shark week, and others art week. As part of the August flashback favorites, the second week of August will feature inspiring museums and art. Be sure to come back Monday to see some Big Bright and Bold masterpieces, including works from the cubists, futurists and expressionists. Will be showcasing paintings and exhibits from Moma's permanent collection as well as LACMA and SFMOMA favorites.