Modern Art NotesTyler Green's modern & contemporary art blogSFMOMA's two Sarah Steins- June 30, 2008 For as long as I can remember, the first gallery of SFMOMA's permanent collection has featured Henri Matisse's 1916 portraits of Sarah and Michael Stein. Not now: Michael has been replaced with a second 'Sarah,' this one in graphite. If you're in San Francisco it's a must-see hanging.The painting and the sketch are clearly related and are still strikingly different. The painting is softer, the drawing is more precise. The painting is mysterious, the drawing is direct. The painting is full of...http://www.artsjournal.com/man/2008/06/the_two_sarah_steins_at_sfmoma.html Weekend roundup- June 30, 2008 I'm back home, so posting will return to normal. MAN will feature several significant stories this week, so be sure to check back often.In the LAT, Holly Myers explains why Steve Roden is an artist's artist. Roden at Vielmetter was the best show of new work I saw in LA last week. That's the same sun spinning and fading... (2008) at right.This is a little bit out of date because I was traveling, but this story from the Chicago Tribune is troubling for about umpteen reasons. In short, an art...http://www.artsjournal.com/man/2008/06/weekend_roundup_69.html Wednesday update- June 25, 2008 I'm taking a travel day. Back tomorrow.http://www.artsjournal.com/man/2008/06/wednesday_update.html Update on UIMA- June 24, 2008 Iowa floods update: Metropolis magazine reports on damage to architectural landmarks. The Wall Street Journal excerpts the Q&A with Pamela White that I ran last week. According to the University of Iowa, the museum building is still closed. And the Iowa City Press-Citizen reports: "UI officials hope that some buildings can be reclaimed before fall semester begins, but about 10 buildings -- those on the art campus and IMU, among others -- are certain to be out of commission for a...http://www.artsjournal.com/man/2008/06/update_on_uima.html Picasso, Matisse, Richardson, and 1931-32- June 24, 2008 Back in February I posted about how Picasso biographer John Richardson's perpetual near-total exclusion of all things Matisse from his Picasso books is a bit grating. While wandering the Norton Simon over the weekend (and in between seeing Adam in Sam Francis), I saw another fine example of how much Picasso was thinking about Matisse in 1932.This is Picasso's 1932 Woman with a Book. The woman, of course, is Marie-Therese Walter. Richardson is happy to discuss how much Picasso was riffing on...http://www.artsjournal.com/man/2008/06/picasso_matisse_richardson_and.html Eyeteeth: Vergne to Dia- June 24, 2008 Minneapolis-based blog Eyeteeth breaks the news that Walker curator Philippe Vergne will be the next director of Dia. The NYT followed.http://www.artsjournal.com/man/2008/06/eyeteeth_vergne_to_dia.html Sam Francis' Basel Mural I- June 23, 2008 When I visited the Norton Simon Museum yesterday, I was stunned to find Sam Francis' magnificent (and underrated) Basel Mural I away from its usual place at the end of one of the Norton Simon's gallery-hallways. Now it's anchoring the modern gallery, the one in which the Norton Simon has installed its Picasso, Braque, Kandinsky, Kirchner, and so on. And as often happens when a museum moves a painting, I saw something I'd never seen before. The standard art historical line on Basel Mural I is...http://www.artsjournal.com/man/2008/06/sam_francis_basel_mural_and_no.html Weekend roundup- June 23, 2008 Alas, the state of regional arts journalism: Four days after MAN's Q&A with University of Iowa Museum of Art director Pamela White and almost a week after MAN started flogging the flooding at UIMA, the local papers catch up. Cringe-worthy moment provided by the Walton effect: The Des Moines Register describes the museum's Pollock as a "$100 million" painting, even though it's been effectively demonetized.More from the decline of arts journalism: San Diego Union-Tribune critic Robert Pincus,.http://www.artsjournal.com/man/2008/06/weekend_roundup_68.html Summer Fridays- June 20, 2008 It's a summer Friday and I'm traveling to boot. I'm pleased to see that many traditional media outlets are beginning to follow the University of Iowa Museum of Art story -- and I hear that more will next week, too. In the meantime, this link to donate to the museum's annual fund seems to be working again. Here's my interview with UIMA interim director Pamela White is here.http://www.artsjournal.com/man/2008/06/summer_fridays_12.html Thursday links- June 19, 2008 Gorgeous pictures of a Paul Rudolph that a Florida town refuses to save;The text of Richard Serra's recent commencement speech at Williams via;Inspired by how well the NYT uses Twitter, I'm resolving to try it out more. Subscribe here to follow me across California museums and galleries this weekend and next week; A JPEG-driven meandering through Tadao Ando and his about-to-open Clark Art Institute project; andChristopher Knight loved Jennifer Steinkamp, Ed Schad isn't so sure.http://www.artsjournal.com/man/2008/06/thursday_links_8.html |