Japanese artist Saburo Murakami's son dramatically opened the exhibition during the media preview on 2/15/13 by running through and destroying the wall of paper, referencing his father's performance piece, Passing Through, 1956

For most of us, and for most of history, the canvas was a surface to be respected. Artists looked to it to map their creativity and to communicate their inspiration. 

Following several periods of dramatic change in the art world, such as impressionism, art nouveau, art deco, surrealism, cubism and more, WWII took hold of Europe, sparing no one from its horrors and devastation. In the period that followed the conclusion of the war and the beginning of reconstruction in the late 1940s, many artsits were left with questions about how to be creative and inspired after acknowleding that the world was capable of such evil and widespread warfare, including the levelling of entire cities, the destruction of historic monuments and buildings, and the psychological and human terror wrought by atomic weapons.  

The MCA's newest exhibition, which comes to them from The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, is a dark show. As a viewer, there is a lot of heavy material to digest emotionally. The perspectives are illuminating, however, as they provide personal insights into a period that has been much covered from a world history point of view but which is not as known on the art history timeline. The period covered is considered to be particularly significant because of the conceptual changes associated with the picture plane. Artists abandoned paint in favor of more caustic materials, such as plastic sheeting and blow torches.  They used whatever they could find at the time, such as burned books or burlap sacks used in food rationing. They also literally ripped into their canvases, manipulating and destroying them in ways representative of what they'd seen happen in towns around the world. Chief Curator Michael Darling explained that the canvas was no longer a mirror or something that simply reflected an artist's own vision - it was something that could be defaced, showing fragility and vulnerability.  The art of this time came out of countries that were the most damaged by the war - Italy, Japan, Germany andmore. The art world was shrinking as the experiences that had happened so many places came together.

Artists to watch for in this exhibition are the Italian painter Lucio Fontana, Alberto Burri, Yves Klein, Lee Bontecou, John Latham and Saburo Murakami, to name just a few. Each had to think about art and creation in a new light after such a dark period, and each sought to communicate as well as heal through their own creations.

Fontana in particular began breaking through the canvas surface in 1949 by using a pencil, poking random holes around the surface. Later he used X-acto blades to slice through paintings, creating what look like shark gills that show what's behind the surface. He is credited with stripping away any previous reverence for the canvas.

Alberto Burri, another Italian artist, experimented with burning plastic sheeting with a torch, perhaps to reference the fiery deaths of many of those who were murdered in the Holocaust. Burri also used burlap sackcloths in reference to the Marshall Plan and the rations imposed throughout Europe. Burri, a medic in the army during the war, used his stiching skills to piece the sacks together, representing the broken nations that were being roughly pieced back together.

Yves Klein also created charred silhouettes on paper tempered with water to mimic the effects of a nucleur explosion on a human population, for instance when a person has been incinerated but only their shadow, or a dark imprint, is left behind. According to Darling, Klein saw destruction as a means of making art. 

These artists are now familiar, established names, but at the time they were in the middle of their careers and trying to navigate where to go next.  The exhibition features nearly 100 works created between 1949-1962 by artists from eight countries.

Destroy the Picture: Painting the Void 1949-1962

The Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA)

February 16-June 2, 2013

Destroy the Picture: Painting the Void, 1949-1962 has been organized by Paul Schimmel, former Chief Curator of The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, in association with the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago.

Alberto Burri (Italian, 1915-95), Combustione pastica (Plastic combustion), 1958

Yves Klein (French, 1928-62), Peinture de feu sans titre (Untitled fire painting [F 13]), 1961, burned cardboard mounted on panel.

Lee Bontecou (American, b. 1931), Untitled, 1959, welded steel, canvas, black fabric, soot, and wire. The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Arnold H. Maremont, 1960.

John Latham (British, 1921-2006), Great Uncle Estate, 1960, Books, wire, nails, metal chain, string, leather, and paint on canvas on hard board. Couresy the artist and Lisson Gallery, London

Jacques Villegle (French, b. 1926), Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honore, 1961. Torn posters on canvas. Collection of Marie-Aline and Jean-Francois Prat

The start of the exhibition takes visitors back to 1967 when Picasso's monumental sculpture was unveilled in Daley Plaza. Recordings of Studs Terkel interviewing spectators offer candid insights.

For most Chicagoans, Picasso first "arrived" in Chicago in 1967 in a major, public way that still resonates with our city's citizens today. Now 46 years later, his influence may be seen as the beginning of this city's modern artistic identity. 

Picasso of course never actually set foot in Chicago, or in this country for that matter. He was very, very close - it is rumored that a plane ticket to Chicago for the sculpture's unveling had been purchased by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the firm that commissioned the sculpture that today is the star of Daley Plaza downtown. While Picasso is undoubtedly one of the most celebrated, admired and prolific artists in the history of art, Chicago has a few of its own personal ties to the artist and his work. The new exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago, the first major Picasso exhibition organized by the museum in nearly three decades, makes the case that long before his famous sculpture mystified and delighted Chicagoans in 1967, Picasso's artistic style and influence was key to launching local enthusiasm for embracing modern art. 

A lot of Chicago/Picasso 'firsts' are covered in the show: in 1913 the Art Institute of Chicago became the first American museum to show Picasso's work, after being a part of the innaugural Armory Show in New York that same year. Inspired by the Armory Show, the Arts Club was founded in 1916. In 1923 it presented Picasso's first US solo showing outside of a commercial gallery. One of AIC's most well-known collection anchors is the Old Guitarist, which was purchased by Frederic Clay Bartlett in memory of his wife Helen Birch Bartlett and given to AIC in 1926. It was the first painting by Picasso acquired by a US museum. 

The exhibition is vast, including 250 works done in a range of mediums and time periods. The works come primarily from AIC's own collection, and mostly they are not blockbusters (3 major paintings on loan from other museums are separated from the main exhibition and are hanging in the Modern Wing - something I found logistically awkward) but the many pieces in the show add up to an illuminating picture of how Chicago came to see itself in an artistic light as well as be known in the world as a progressive city committed to the arts.  It is worth spending time with as many of the pieces as possible, while also seeking out new favorites. 

A highlight is the opening of the show, where a recording of Studs Terkel interiewing Chicagoans in the Federal plaza (now Daley Plaza) on the day the Picasso Woman was unveiled. It's delightful to hear the candid respones. One spectator was there for a baton contest.  Someone else thought a statue in honor of someone who'd 'done something for humanity' would have been more fitting.  One gentleman thought it resembled the 'pelvic structure of a prehistoric monster.' Others were worried it would rust and hoped it 'worked out.'  Most seemed to gaze in awe that their city had put this project together and made such a show of being progressive. After I saw the exhibition, I learned another secret from SAIC's former president, Tony Jones. He recalled recently leading Paloma Picasso on a tour of the show before it opened. While they were examining the Picasso Woman macquette, she leaned her head into the sculpture and pointed out that her father wrote inside many pieces. For the Woman he had apparently been concerned that the piece would hold up because of the weight of the steel and the strong welding that would be required. Just to make sure the piece would stand the test of time and that the heavy head would not tumble down on visitors, he wrote some simple instructions for the welders in Gary, IN - basically, he said, make sure it's on there tight! 

Picasso never accepted payment for the commission, instead giving it to the city as a gift. That generous spirit is certainly still present here today.

Picasso and Chicago

Febraury 20-May 12, 2013

A portrait of Marie-Therese. Pablo Picasso. Head of a Woman with Straw Hat on a Pink Background. Paris, January 23, 1938.  Oil on canvas. Private collection.

Pablo Picasso. Weeping Woman I, July 1, 1937. Drypoint, aquatint, and etching with scraping on paper.

Pablo Picasso, Nude under a Pine Tree. Cannes or Vauvenargues, January 20, 1959. Oil on canvas. The Art Institute of Chicago, bequest of Grant J. Pick, 1965.

Pablo Picasso, Portrait of Jacqueline. Mougins, December 28, 1962. Graphite with smudging and black ballpoint pen on paper. Richard and Mary L. Gray and the Gray Collection Trust.

Picasso's interest in the seated female figure show up again in his renderings for the sculpture for Daley Plaza.

Drawings for the Sculpture in Daley Plaza. 1963-1965.

There are so many ways to enjoy the holidays, when you're not rushing here and there, keeping track of to-do lists or trying to meet end-of-year deadlines. In case you have any free time, or out of town visitors, we've come up with a few highlights you should check out this season. 

• Chicago Urban Art Society is having its’ annual holiday art sale Windy City Artist Alley on Sunday, December 16 from 12-6pm. Artists, illustrators, printmakers, DIY artists, and vintage sellers will all be there to cover your last minute shopping needs. This year’s event will be located at 1664 S. Blue Island Ave. at the intersection of 18^th and Blue Island in Pilsen neighborhood. Interested vendors or artists should contact peterkepha@chicagourbanartsociety.com. Chicago Urban Art Society Chicago’s First Annual Holiday Benefit is on Wednesday, December 12, 6-11pm.  An evening of good company and good music, along with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be served. A fifty dollar donation is asked to attend. A special poetry reading by Kevin Coval is sure to make this a fun, holiday evening.

The Art Institute is always a festive place to visit this time of year - don't miss the chance to gaze at the impressive lion adorned with red wreaths for the season.  While the weather is still mild, wander the museum's sculpture garden, or spend some time in sunny Millennium Park.  Also, in honor of the season, the miniature Thorne Rooms have also been decorated for the season.  Details here.

• Come experience Greek traditions with the National Hellennic Museum’s one-day fun-filled event It’s A Greek Christmas! on Saturday, December 15, 11am-5pm. Festivities include crafts, caroling, dance lessons, christopsomo, storytime, and much more. Details here.

• Bring your kids along and get creative at Lillstreet's Holiday Family Party Saturday, December 8th from 12-3pm. Bring the whole family and decorate a lovely holiday ornament with Lillstreet's ceramics department and cookies with First Slice Pie Cafe. Stop by the gallery and take a peak at the Stacey Lee Webber jewelry trunk show reception. Free. Also this weekend, Let There Be Light: Lillstreet's 37th Annual Holiday Show and Sale. Details here.

• December 6-8 you can do some holiday shopping at the 4th annual ShopColumbia market at Columbia College.  Not only is this the perfect place for holiday shopping, but you'll also meet the artists behind the work! ShopColumbia will also host themed mini-boutiques within the shop for the environmentalist, art lover, fashionista, and more. Details here.

Visit Chicagogallerynews.com all season for art news, events and openings!  Happy holidays! 

Quick! You only have one day to get to the Elmhurst Art Museum before their spring exhibits close. This Saturday, June 9th, marks the finale of two fascinating shows: Mario Trejo's I Defy You, and Gordon Powell's Details.

The amount of detail within each piece is what binds the two artists. Both are fascinated by intimate, exhaustive, and measured mark-making. Trejo, an SAIC alum, has created massive abstract compositions comprised of tiny repetitive marks. Layers and layers of manic lines create a sense of eternity and infinity within his work. Like stars in a night sky, the scratches are immeasurable, and it’s easy to get lost in the accumulation. Through his calculated and meticulous process, Trejo aims to question the limits of space, time, and numerical values in art. In July, Trejo’s drawings will travel to Maus Contemporary in Birmingham, AL to participate in a group show titled Pulp II Works on Paper, Works with Paper. In the same month, Herringer Kiss Gallery in Alberta, Canada will present a solo show of Trejo’s work, titled Catharsism. 

Mario Trejo: I Defy You, archival pens and enamel on panel

Another SAIC alum, Powell cares for his pieces in a similar way. The artist carefully determines the placement of each erratic edge and seemingly-accidental nick in his wood sculptures. His abstracted assemblages are composed of painted and hand-distressed wood. The planes are bound together with dyed glue and then mounted on the wall. Powell’s simplified forms offer limitless possibilities for compositional experimentation, as he strives to defy categorization in his work. Next up for Powell is a show at the Chicago Cultural Center this October, followed by an exhibition at Perimeter Gallery, right here in River North. 

Gordon Powell: Untitled (Ochre Center), wood, dyed glue, paint and pencil

Please note: If you plan on visiting the EAM on June 9th to see the closing shows, the museum will close at 3:00pm for a private event, so get there early!

Although we must say a sad goodbye to the work of Trejo and Powell, I’m just as thrilled to meet the Elmhurst Art Museum’s summer lineup. Say hello to Billy Tokyo (also known as John Dempsey), Anders Nilsen, Michael Ferris, Jr., Casey Roberts, and Heather Becker. All of the shows will launch with a opening reception on Friday, June 15th at 6:30pm where you can mingle with the artists themselves. Admission is free, and complementary wine and appetizers will be served.

Micheal Ferris: Toufic, recycled wood and pigmented grout

Casey Roberts: Totally Free Now, cyanotype drawing with gouache

Anders Nilsen, my personal favorite of the group, will exhibit some of his illustrations, drawings, and paintings in a show titled Adam and Eve Sneaking Back Into the Garden to Steal More Apples. Nilsen has recently skyrocketed to fame due to the publication of his critically-acclaimed graphic novel, Big Questions, in November 2011. This exhibit will feature a 5ft x 8ft landscape drawing and a 28ft handmade accordion book called Rage of Poseidon, according to his blog The Monologuist. Nilsen will also show select pictures from the 594-page story about birds living near an old woman and her grandson’s home. With such simple subjects, Nilsen manages to create a sequence that evokes the meditation and anxiety caused by the posing of life’s most basic questions. As the EAM puts it, his narrative drawings “transcend pen and ink”. 

The cover illustration of Nilsen's Big Questions.

If you enjoy his work at the EAM, be sure to catch Nilsen at the Chicago Alternative Comics Expo that same weekend, June 16 – 17, from 11am – 6pm at 1104 S. Wabash, 8th Floor. Later this summer on August 17th, Nilsen will be hosting an artist talk and slide reading at the EAM to talk about his work and perhaps answer these “big questions”. Although I may be partial to Nilsen, be sure to check out every fantastic exhibit at the EAM this summer, as they all deserve your attention and admiration. 

Visit the Elmhurst Art Museum website for all the specifics on admission, directions, and facilities. Like the Elmhurst Art Museum on Facebook, or follow them on Twitter: @ElmhurstArt.

Roy Lichtenstein, American (1923-1997). Whaam!, 1963. Magna and oil on canvas. 172.7 x 406.4 cm (68 x 160 in). © Estate of Roy Lichtenstein. Tate: Purchased 1966. Photo ©Tate, 2011.

The Art Institute of Chicago presents a colorful exhibition of old favorites and lesser-known works in Roy Lichtenstein: A Retrospective, opening to the public on Tuesday, May 22.  The retrospective samples five decades and over 160 works by Lichtenstein (1923-1997) grouping bodies of work into familiar categories of the artists’ oeuvre, i.e., cartoon and comic paintings that staked his place in the Pop scene of '60s, a series in black and white, a variety of enlarged brushstroke paintings. 

Roy Lichtenstein, American (1923-1997). Look Mickey, 1961. Oil on canvas. 121.9 x 175.3 cm (48 x 69 in). © National Gallery of Art. The National Gallery of Art. Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein, Gift of the artist, in Honor of the 50th Anniversary of the National Gallery.

Many will recognize Lichtenstein’s more well-known works like Look Mickey (1961), Drowning Girl (1963), and others in his notable comic-like style of large halftone dots, but other bodies of work felt refreshing amidst the more familiar arenas – a grouping of bronze and brass Art Deco sculptures; a room filled with small drawings, sketches and studies for large paintings; a series of nudes and Chinese landscapes.  These more obscure groupings were the highlights of the exhibition for me, a Lichtenstein fan, because they provided a glimpse into his career that I had not seen before.  I’ve seen the large painting, Ohhh…Alright… (1964) several times, and while I still enjoy examining the canvas, I very much appreciated seeing the tiny study from which it stemmed. 

Roy Lichtenstein, American (1923-1997). Ohhh…Alright…, 1964. Oil and Magna on canvas. 91.4 x 96.5 cm (36 x 38 in). © Estate of Roy Lichtenstein. Private Collection.

Lichtenstein was born in New York City in 1923 and studied at New York’s Art Students League prior to attending Ohio State University where he earned both his BFA (1946) and MFA (1949).  Before completing his studies, Lichtenstein was drafted in 1943 to serve in the U.S. Army, where he was on active duty in Europe beginning in 1945.  When he returned from the Army, he attended and taught at Ohio State until 1951 when he married and moved to Cleveland.  After several successful shows and a gaining reputation in the artworld, Lichtenstein returned to New York and continued making work.

Like other Pop artists, Lichtenstein’s work blends characteristics from seemingly far different realms: fine art, mass media, advertising, comics.  Lichtenstein continued to combine these different characteristics throughout his career with the use of large Benday / halftone dots seen in work that was done early in his career through some of the last series the artist completed in the nineties.  The Brushstrokes series is a prime example of the pairing of mass media with fine art.  In his large canvases, Lichtenstein depicts expressionist brushstrokes, drips and splatters.  From a distance, those gestural marks are the first thing the viewer picks up on, but upon closer inspection, the halftone dots come into focus as does the juxtaposition of the almighty Abstract Expressionist marks against the dot pattern used in mass-produced print materials.  It is this kind of unconventional pairing in Lichtenstein’s work that appeals to me, while examining what is depicted and how it is depicted. 

Roy Lichtenstein, American (1923-1997). Brushstroke with Spatter, 1966. Oil and Magna on canvas. 121.9 x 152.4 cm (68 x 80 in). © Estate of Roy Lichtenstein. Art Institute of Chicago, Barbara Neff Smith and Solomon Byron Smith Purchase Fund.

James Rondeau, Dittmer Chair and Curator, Department of Contemporary Art at the Art Institute states “Lichtenstein is rightly recognized for being a foundational Pop artist who created some of the most iconic works of the 20^th century.  But these works – the comic strips, the war imagery – represent only part of Lichtenstein’s decades-long career.  Our aim with this exhibition is to explore the full range of absorbing contradictions at the heart of Lichtenstein’s work – starting with the paradox that Lichtenstein systematically dismantled the history of modern art while becoming a fixture in that canon.  Lichtenstein, we hope to show, was a profoundly radical artist with a lasting impact on the history of 20^th-century art.”

Roy Lichtenstein, American (1923-1997). Landscape in Fog, 1996. Oil and Magna on canvas. 180.3 x 207.6 cm (71 x 81.75 in). © Estate of Roy Lichtenstein. Private Collection.

Following its run at the Art Institute through September 3, the retrospective will travel to the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., the Tate Modern, London, and the Centre Pompidou in Paris.

Art Institute member days for Roy Lichtenstein: A Retrospective have been extended through Friday, May 18.  The museum will be closed to the public during the NATO summit, from Saturday, May 19 through Monday, May 21, and the public opening date for the retrospective is Tuesday, May 22, 2012.

Roy Lichtenstein: A Retrospective
May 22 - September 3, 2012
The Art Institute of Chicago
111 S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60603

Roy Lichtenstein, American (1923-1997). Untitled, 1959. Oil on canvas. 86.5 x 71.3 cm (34.0625 x 28.0625 in). © Estate of Roy Lichtenstein. Private Collection.