Gee’s Bend Quilts Were Worth the Wait!
Posted on June 1st, 2006 by Becky // 5 Comments »
Finally! I went and saw The Quilts of Gee’s Bend today at the High Museum of Art . Wow. It was absolutely breathtaking. Words cannot really do them justice.
From a distance, I wondered if Verner Panton, Charles and Ray Eames, and Mark Rothko had visited Gee’s Bend. The composition and use of color employed by the quilters reminded me so much of modern paintings. Then I thought about the traditions of quilting, and the many patterns used by quilters. These women took the traditional patterns, tried them out, pretty much chucked them out the window, and went off in their own directions. The rhythm and the energy in each piece was so powerful, and each piece had its own unique character.
The most moving part of the works were observed when I stepped closer. In the Work Clothes Quilts, I realized the history in the media, and the way the women incorporated and gained maximum use from the limited materials available to them. I saw dirt stains on pants, denim faded to all different shades of blue, evidence of mended knees, blood stains on mattress ticking and printed words on flour sacks. At this point, I could see that the curved patterns were made of small hand stitches that swooped across the straight lines of excess Sears Robuck corduroy.
The Chuck Close exhibit (Chuck Close: Self-Portraits 1967–2005) one story up was another case where I had completely different experiences close up and across the room. I cannot fathom how he was able to assemble the mosaics of dots, fingerprints, scribbles and/or etched lines into the portraits. I wish I understood more about the processes of printmaking and etching so that I could fully understand the range of his work. It was interesting to go from the quilts, which often utilize a grid composition straight upstairs to Chuck Close, who utilized the grid to guide him in assembling his portraits. I was able to make connections between these seemingly disparate artists and their mediums that I may never have realized if I had not gone straight from one exhibit to the other.
I have to say, the new Renzo Piano additions at the High were breathtaking. The natural light from the rooftop skylights worked incredibly well. His changes fit into the Museum Campus perfectly, and the views to the urban fabric around it reminded me that I was in midtown Atlanta and not encased in a solitary white box.
Anyway, I am so glad that I joined the High. Sometimes I get museum fatigue when I try to see everything in such a huge complex in one day. Joining your local museums gives you the luxury of stopping by for an hour or two to check out the latest exhibits, or perhaps just one wing you haven’t had a chance to explore. Plus, you usually get discounts to the cafes and shops. Museum shops are GREAT places to buy unique gifts and they have an amazing selection of books. Today I could not resist a Basquiat book.*
*I just rented the movie about him from the free movie selection of ON DEMAND. Usually they only have really lame movies, but this one was really good, except for the casting of David Bowie as Andy Warhol. IMHO, Crispen Glover makes a much better Warhol than Bowie.
Filed in Events & Exhibitions | 5 Comments
June 2nd, 2006 at 2:51 pm (#)
I saw the similar chuck close exhibit at SFMOMA. to be honest, by the end of the exhibit I seriously wished he’d made a punching-bag self portrait so I could have punched the shit out of his annoying bald head and knocked those lame glasses to the floor. his craft is exquisite but dear god the subject in that repetitive presentation was just too masturbatory for me.
And Renzo Piano is working on an addition to my alma mater (university of michigan law school) which is already one of the finest combinations of gothic and modern architecture around (the quadrangle and the new library). Hearing that his addition was so seamless at the High gives me hope for what he’ll do on the corner of state and monroe in ann arbor.
June 5th, 2006 at 12:15 pm (#)
So Dutch, tell us how you really feel about Chuck Close!
When did you graduate U of M law? I almost went to grad school there, but their landscape architecture program was more science-focused and literally a mile or so away from the rest of the architecture school, which was not what I was looking for.
It’s amazing how many colleges are getting superstar architect buildings. It seems that no regular Joe architects are getting any campus work anymore. For example, it’s been amazing to watch the University of Cincinnati campus over the past decade. Especially since it did not used to have a campus!
Becky
June 5th, 2006 at 7:08 pm (#)
Ahah, Dutch! Funny, I was just thinking how I saw Basquiat at the Brooklyn Museum of Something, and while I loved all his colors and it all looked Cool, capital “C,” it was so emperor has no clothes. After watching hipsters ooh and ahh over it – HE DID A LOT OF DRUGS, PERIOD – I couldn’t wait to rush back to the Upper East Side and detox on pseudo intellectualism.
June 8th, 2006 at 5:41 am (#)
Becky, sorry I’m late on this one, but I saw the Gee’s Bend exhibit when it came to the Chrysler, and I agree, they are absolutely breathtaking. Did they have the accompanying video documentary with the Atlanta exhibit? It was so cool to hear from some of the artists themselves.
I love that this has made it into museums, I feel like sometimes the lines are too defined between what is “art” and what is “crafts.” Both take immense skill and talent, and I loved this exhibit.
Chuck close is another favorite of mine. The Chrysler here in Norfolk just got one of his portraits that’s done in handmade paper pulp. I love it. It’s my first time seeing one of his in person. I think it’s rather small scale for him though.
June 8th, 2006 at 6:50 am (#)
Hey Amber, how’s it going? They did have the documentary. Those women are so amazing. I got to see one of my favorite folk artists, Missionary Mary Procter on Sunday – do you know her stuff? She’s the coolest lady – full of positive energy. She had a new piece called “The Quilting Contest” that was so neat and reminded me of the Gee’s Bend ladies.
Unfortunately, we are the last stop on the tour and it ends on June 18. I don’t know what happens to the exhibit after that, do you? Will the quilts be in the Houston MFA collection?
I’m off to arrange my screened-in porch – got a rug from West Elm for my birthday and I’m hoping it will, to quote The Big Lebowski “really tie the room together.”