Shahar Marnin-Distelfeld: “Why Draw Flowers? Botanical Art and Women’s Contribution to Israeli Culture" (4/19/17)

Sacramento State University had the pleasure of getting to listen to Israeli scholar and art historian Shahar Marnin-Distelfeld on April 19th, 2017. She had received her degree at Zefat Academic College and her PhD from the University of Haifa. She is now teaching art history and Jewish studies at San Francisco State University in California. 

Marnin-Distelfeld's lecture was about Jewish artists and the the art of Israeli wildflowers. I could tell that Distelfeld was so very passionate about wildflowers and that they were something that were very important to her and the Israeli culture. The emblem of the Jewish religion is in-fact a wildflower, which is very symbolic of the region she had grown up in when she was younger. I didn't realize the importance of nature when it came to Israeli people, and the wildflowers are something that many are taught to preserve and cherish. 

Israeli was very well known for its wildflowers and they were featured on postcards as well as travel catalogs and brochures. Marnin-Distelfeld also explained that this was used in order to spread propaganda and campaign the strength and ties of Jewish people are the world. 

Some of the artists which she had talked about had included Ruth Coppel, Esther Huber and Bracha Avigad. These women artists had used botany illustrations in order to show feminist contributions to culture. This had also showed a connection to tending over flower gardens, which so many Jewish women had done and this type of artwork was a sort of niche for woman to take part in. 

Shahar Marnin-Distelfeld's lecture was fascinating to me and brought about a lot of great insight into the Jewish/Israeli culture that I did not know about before. I really enjoyed getting to listen to her enthusiasm as it was so evident she was really proud of her Jewish heritage. 

2017 Senior Show at the Robert Else Gallery

I had decided to check out the Senior 2017 art show at the Else Gallery as some of the works in their had really captured my attention. After having walked through it a couple times, I am sincerely impressed with the show and all the work that the seniors have produced.

Lauren Dalton, Inner Nature, Acrylic and ink on canvas 24x36.

(Above) I really admired Lauren Dalton's piece as it reminded me of the mother nature segment from Disney's Fantasia 2000 which featured music from Igor Stravinsky's "The Firebird." Dalton has done a great job in portraying the sereneness of nature and the beauty of it within our own beings. I love the vibrant color palette being used and feel that she did a tremendous job! Dalton adds a great touch to the work by allowing some of the acrylic to drip down the canvas, it reminded me of Hung Liu's painting Shoemaker (1999), and how she allows the paint to drip down the canvas in order to convey an scene that exists as though it is a memory. I feel that Lauren Dalton seems to apply a similar concept here.

 

Five works: by Jamilah Muhammad

(Above) This series of five works is one that I am definitely more curious about these figures the are depicting in this mixed media collage work. The pieces the Muhammad composed really makes the viewer question as to who they are. Perhaps they are someone near and dear to the artist? Or seemingly random people. This series definitely reminded me of Warhol's work and the Pop Art movement. I am unsure whether or not the artist was inspired by this movement, but nonetheless its elements are noticed.

          Madeline Hinrischen, Untitled (4 works), Mix media on paper.

(Above) I really liked this series of work by Madeline Hinrischen as it seemed to have been really inspired by Asian culture, especially that of Japanese. The mix media content and choice of vibrant and luminous bright colors really gave the sense of Japanese pop-culture that is so well known today. The first piece in the series depicts sushi with Mount Fuji in the background. This work had really reminded me of the Hiroshige print from his series 36 Views of Mount Fuji. I found it interesting that the artist would take a subject as famous as Mount Fuji and create a pop culture version of it in order to update it to our time. 

Kallista Toconis, Untitled (2 works), Oil on Cardboard.

Brittany Bandley, Deity Priestess, Mixed media sculpture (headdress).

This was one of the first pieces to have really caught my eye in the show. I loved how primitive the piece looks and the sense of power that it exudes. The horns in Bandley's work reminds me somewhat of Krampus, but in a very native feel to it. Having not been familiar with her work, it seems that she has a keen interest for costume design, and  I could definitely see this work in a production of sorts.

SF MoMA: An Artistic Gem to California’s West Coast

The SF MoMA, a gem of a museum in the city of San Francisco is featuring several exhibitions in the month of April. One of which is the New York photographer Diane Arbus, who’s work will be shown till the end of the month. Another exhibition titled “German Art After 1960”, features works by several artists which included Gerhard Richter and Anselm Kiefer and will be ongoing. The museum’s temporary exhibitions, along with its ongoing exhibitions is an incredible experience for anyone with a curiosity for art and culture. It is an experience that is truly unforgettable and will leave those like myself who witness it in awe.

The Diane Arbus exhibition, titled “In the Beginning”, displays much of the artist’s photography from the early years of her career from 1956 to 1962. Arbus’s work shows the life of many ordinary New Yorkers in everyday life, a subject which the artist found to be endlessly rich and full of possibility and potential. It’s important to note that the SF MoMA does not allow photography in this exhibit, but I can say that this did not put a damper on seeing the exhibition by any means. The subject of Diane Arbus’s work is one that left myself (and many others I’m sure), curious as to what life was like for those she photographed in 1960’s New York. The nature of her work is almost narrative. And each person having their own story told through the artist’s medium, like the tattooed Jack Dracula (figure 1) and bare-breasted stripper (figure 2).

Figure 1 (left): Diane Arbus, Jack Dracula at a bar, New London, Cnn. 1961. Black and white photograph.

Figure 2 (right): Diane Arbus, Stripper with bare breasts sitting in her dressing room, Atlantic City N.J. 1961. Black and white photograph. 

The ongoing exhibition “German Art After 1960” is one of which the viewer senses a great deal of sensitivity in terms of its subject. This was one of the most reflective exhibitions that the SF MoMA has to offer, in my humble opinion. Many of the works on display were that of German painter and sculptor Anselm Kiefer, whose masterpieces are as huge in size as they are in content and meaning. Kiefer’s work explores the Nazi legacy through his art and the use of several different materials, much of which are deemed as unusual. Much of the works were created during the 1980’s and question the nature of German culture and the change brought about because of World War II. His 1982 work titled Die Meistersinger (figure 3), is one which explores the transformation of German culture through Wagner’s iconic opera “Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg” (The Mastersingers of Nuremberg) which had been appropriated by Adolf Hitler, who was a great admirer of the opera, to signify the German Empire he so greatly wanted. Another work in the exhibition is Margarethe (1981) whom is often a common subject in other works of Kiefer used to symbolize the Aryan race, which the German chancellor claimed to be supreme (figure 4). 

   

Figure 3 (left): Anselm Kiefer, Die Meistersinger (The Mastersingers), 1982. Oil, acrylic paint, resin, straw, and paper on linen. 110 1/4 in. x 149 3/4 in. 

Figure 4 (right): Anselm Kiefer, Margarethe, 1981. Oil, straw, emulsion, and gelatin silver print on linen. 114 1/4 in. x 157 3/4 in. 

These are only some of the works and exhibitions which the iconic museum has to offer. The experience of the SF MoMA is a must see for anyone who is visiting San Francisco. It features some of the greatest modern and contemporary works like that of Mark Rothko (figure 5) and Roy Liechtenstein (figure 6) as well as the several others whom I have mentioned in this review. I urge everyone to go as it is a museum that no one can regret going to. Though this was my first time, I already know I will be back in the future and anxiously look forward to it.

Figure 5 (left): Mark Rothko, No. 14, 1960, 1960. Oil on canvas. 114 1/2 in. x 105 5/8 in.

 Figure 6 (right): Roy Lichtenstein, Figures with Sunset, 1978. Oil and Manga on Canvas. 107 in. x 167 in. 

Nick Shepard: De bekende wereld

The other week, my Baroque art history professor Rachel Miller had invited CSUS art faculty member and fine art photographer Nick Shepard to discuss his work with us as we  are learning about Dutch still life art in class. During his lecture, he had discussed his works that were part of a series he refers to as "De bekende wereld" which "explores the contemporary world through the lens of master painting." Much of his work was representative of Dutch still life, which Shepard has encountered first hand while studying abroad in the Netherlands while in college.

(Above) Nick Shepard Made in China (2010)

Shepard's work explores the notion of "making the familiar strange" and takes on a combination of different elements. While studying abroad in Europe, he traveled to the Netherlands where he encountered works by Jan van der Velde and Rembrandt, which had really made an impression on him. He was really fascinated with the idea of how during the Baroque era in the 17th century, Dutch still life was the "high fashion of the time" and wanted to explore how that could be related to our time now in the 21st century.

Nick Shepard Still Life with Real, Fake and Dyed Flowers (2010)

The above work is still life depicting different kinds of flowers. He was fascinated with the idea that in the Baroque era, artists weren't able to have a bouquet of random flowers like we are able to have today. In the 17th century it would often be difficult if not impossible to gather together different kinds of flowers, due to them being grown in regions that were far away and in different seasons. Nick described his work as an onion, and that the viewer needed to "peel back the layers" of the artwork in order to gain a greater understanding of his work. He also mentioned that it is okay to simply enjoy the piece, which I liked. He wants the work to be aesthetically pleasing and is able to achieve this with the lush colors and whimsicality of the objects that he chooses to photograph in his still life works. 

 

Nick Shepard Occident/Orient (Tea Time) (2014)

Crocker Art Museum 3/26/17

Crocker Art Museum: "The Forbidden Fruit" and "Japan-America: Points of Contact"

It had been a while since I had last visited the Crocker Museum, and I was so thrilled I had gone!

(Above and right) Me looking at Mark Bauer's Though I Walk Through the Valley of Reason (2016, acrylic on canvas). This was one of the first pieces that really caught my attention right as I got to the second floor of the Crocker. I liked the surrealism that seemed to be portrayed through Bauer's work. It had an almost psychedelic feel to the work as well, so I thought. 

"The Forbidden Fruit" - Chris Anetman of Meissen

One of the exhibitions was porcelain work by Chris Anetmann, an American born artist who had gone to work at Meissen Porcelain Manufacturing Company in Germany. Her work is meant to revive and reinvent the tradition of porcelain making. Anetmann had collaborated with several other porcelain artisans in Germany in order to create her series of figures. 

This series of work is inspired by the Rococo period and artists like Watteau and Fragonard. Anetmann treats much of her figures with a sense of eroticism, which allows it's viewer to fantasize about the subject matter upon which they submerge themselves into a world which during the 18th century was truly "forbidden." 

Much of the figures in the series are also inspired by theatrical characters from Commedia dell'arte, having been very popular during the 18th century in Europe. As mentioned before, the figurines are depicted in a very erotic matter. While viewing this exhibit, Fragonard's painting The Swing had come to mind. Just as Fragonard depicts the "peeping" young boy staring up into the young girl's dress, Anetmann does so with her characters only in a much more bold sense. Which I have to admire her for. When looking at the figurines, one is also able to see men having erections as they are in the company of very fair maidens who tease them with delight. The series brings the Rococo period into a new light. One of which is far more deep in desire and lust. 

"Japan-America: Points of Contact"

One of the other main exhibitions featured at the Crocker Art Museum when I had gone was the "Japan-America" exhibit. Unfortunately I wasn't able to take pictures, though I tried and that didn't go over so well (there was one sign in the corner that no one could see- in my defense!). The featured works were those by both American and Japanese artists. Much of the works were prints, paintings, panel screens, pottery and even some furniture. I've always loved Asian art, so this exhibit was really appealing to me! I liked the contrast of how Americans depicted Japanese versus how the Japanese were depicting Americans and their culture. I've always found art of Asia to be so exotic- which I understand can be seen as politically incorrect, being that the word "exotic" is so often seen as depicting that which is both strange and unfamiliar. However, I choose to use it nonetheless, not as a means to belittle or demean the cultures, but in a sense to describe it in terms of both wonder and beauty. 

Of the many works featured in "Japan-America" there was one which in particular I was really excited to have seen. (Above) There was an original print of Hiroshige's View of Mount Fuji from his series of 36 prints titled Thirty-six Views of Mt. Fuji. These were woodblock prints by the Japanese ukiyo-e artist Ando Hiroshige who had done a series in 1852 and 1858. I had first learned about these prints while taking Art3B (Asian Art) with Professor Chirapravati. The course truly allowed me develop such a deep appreciation and love for Asian art and continues to be one of my favorite art history classes I have ever taken.

(Above) This work really reminded me of Edward Hopper's 1942 painting Nighthawk (oil on canvas).

The work is arguably very similar to Hopper's iconic American masterpiece, which perhaps inspired the artist.

(Left) Tip Toland  
Wallflower  2011
Stoneware, with paint, pastel, and synthetic hair, wood and wallpaper.

Toland's piece is one of which seems to startle it's viewer upon first glance. The work is a sculpture that could also be considered somewhat of an installation piece as well. The girl in the work appears so lifelike to the point where it is almost disturbing. While the piece exhibits a fascinating aesthetic, it also saddens and is able to attain sympathy from its viewer. The unnamed girl holds a donut while she stands awkwardly with her knees locked, head cocked and cheeks very flushed as though timid.

(Above) Judy Chicago Test Plate for Hatshepsut, Great Pharaoh of Egypt in 18th Dynasty 

1977-78 Ceramic. 

Upon seeing this work, I almost instantly knew this had to be the work of none other than Judy Chicago. It is a purely feminist work, as Chicago herself is regard as a feminist artist. Having been a ceramic plate it really made me recall her Dinner Party installation work which had been so controversial during its release in the late 1970's. The work, clearly symbolic of a woman's vagina, is made to commemorate the great woman Pharaoh Hatshepsut, who is regarded as being on the first great women in recorded history "whom we are informed." 

 (Above) I have to consider this work to be one of my favorites in the Crocker Museum. The work is titled Celebration and was painted  by Irving Norman using oil on canvas. The Lithuanian-born American artist painted the work in 1953 and is supposed to represent clone like people who have been caught up in rush hour and are constricted by small urban spaces and modern technology. The painting also has to do with poverty and war, themes which resonate within the doom and gloom that the work portrays. Norman wanted the work to point out the shortcomings of human behavior and felt that by doing this people may be more aware and considerate of their own actions. The piece also reminded me of the very surreal and imaginative works of Heironymus Bosch, the great Dutch Renaissance artist. 

Mujer Mexicana: The Crown of Roses and Thorns

        I had come across this collection as I was passing the R.W. Witt Gallery at Sac State which really seemed to have peaked my interest. The artist is Mayra Ramos Chavez, a student at Sac State whom I had seen at many of the on campus galleries, but I had never seen her work. This particular collection, as Chavez says, is to "explore Mexican culture and themes of identity." The artist presents to the viewer a series of works that are dreamlike and reflects on her past and past experiences.

        (Left) This was one of the first pieces that was seen upon entering the gallery. There is a young girls dress, a doll, votive candle and several other objects that are placed on the colored cloth with flowers down below. This installation-type work really shows a glimpse of things that might be considered very important to the artist and her culture, and they are perhaps her belongings as well.










The Girl with Strong Roots (left).

     The Church of the Town (cut paper and adhesive).
In Mexican culture, Roman Catholicism is a very important part of what is often practiced. I really felt this was a great monochromatic work that gives just enough detail without it being too much. (Left).

       Out of Mayra's collection this was the one work that stood out to me the most, and I'll have to admit is my favorite. Its title, Trust, seems to be rather fitting. It is a somewhat sensual work and yet is tender as the man embraces her. It is a oil on panel work and I think she has a great use of color. Looking at it closely, there is a lot of detail in the mans sombrero and vest. (Right).

(Above) A series of different paintings by the artist. Many of them portraits of Mexican women wearing traditional clothing. Though there was no definitive explanation, one might wonder who these women are and whether or not they were important figures in the artist's life.

 

This work, titled Lady Death and I (ink, chalk and charcoal) is one that is very daunting out of the Mayra Chavez's series. Though I am not certain, it seems to be alluding to the Day of the Dead, which is a Mexican holiday in which family and friends gather as to celebrate and pray for deceased loved ones. I have personally always found the subject of macabre to be fascinating, which is why I felt drawn to this piece. 

(Left) Valiant Woman, ink pen and watercolor. 

The Escape of the Love Within, charcoal on paper.