New York (Part 1)
The MoMA
I have only just resurfaced from the depths of jet lag but thought I should crack on and retell my tale of adventure before the details are irretrievably lost. I was in New York to celebrate my sister's birthday, and was staying with her at her lovely apartment in between 7th & 8th avenue. I was completely blown away by New York, not only because it was amazing to spend time with my wonderful sister but also because the whole feel of the place was so relaxed and friendly that I could definitely see myself living there!
Now my dear readers, as this is mostly an arts and culture review blog I shall recount something of my experience of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) first.
Now my dear readers, as this is mostly an arts and culture review blog I shall recount something of my experience of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) first.
I am currently writing my dissertation on Edvard Munch and, as luck would have it, there just happened to be a fabulous exhibiton on him at the MoMA at the time.
The exhibiton Edvard Munch: The Scream (October 24, 2012–April 29, 2013) focuses primarily on The Scream (1895) (shown above) which is the most renowned of Munch's works, but not the one I believe to be the most interesting - even of the pictures included in this relatively small exhibiton.
Of the four versions of The Scream created by Munch between 1893 and 1910, this pastel-on-board from 1895 is the only one remaining in private hands: the three other versions are in the collections of museums in Norway. This version has been lent to the MoMA by a private collector. The pastel drawing really does convey Munch's mental state at the time of creation and it is said that Munch concluded early in his career that painting must go beyond naturalistic portrayal of the world and instead focus on the deeper realm of the psyche or the soul.
What I found interesting was that the walls of the gallery in which the art work was held were all painted dark grey. This I thought highlighted his work more dramatically and also added a slightly more sinister feel to the room. The fact that as the viewer entered the gallery they were confronted by a bold floor to ceiling wall in the centre of the room upon which The Scream was hung emphasized that this was the primary work of art to be viewed within the room. The other works by Munch were simply hung on the outer walls of the gallery as if to simply highlight The Scream rather than have their own merit.
Of the four versions of The Scream created by Munch between 1893 and 1910, this pastel-on-board from 1895 is the only one remaining in private hands: the three other versions are in the collections of museums in Norway. This version has been lent to the MoMA by a private collector. The pastel drawing really does convey Munch's mental state at the time of creation and it is said that Munch concluded early in his career that painting must go beyond naturalistic portrayal of the world and instead focus on the deeper realm of the psyche or the soul.
What I found interesting was that the walls of the gallery in which the art work was held were all painted dark grey. This I thought highlighted his work more dramatically and also added a slightly more sinister feel to the room. The fact that as the viewer entered the gallery they were confronted by a bold floor to ceiling wall in the centre of the room upon which The Scream was hung emphasized that this was the primary work of art to be viewed within the room. The other works by Munch were simply hung on the outer walls of the gallery as if to simply highlight The Scream rather than have their own merit.
What I did find rather confusing was the selection of Munch's works that the curators had decided to show along side The Scream. There seemed to be minimal correlation between them, neither having influenced The Scream nor having similar subject matter.
One of the most powerful works of art in the exhibiton I felt was Jealousy I (lithograph) made in 1896. There are various different versions of this subject which Munch constantly went back to. However I think the harsh black that dominates this art work helps the viewer to feel Munch's state of mind at the time this was created. Also the way that the figure on the left (meant to be Munch) stares boldly and helplessly out at the viewer in an almost confrontational manner makes us feel as though we are being watched and judged by this individual. This for me was a far more powerful art work than The Scream and so it slightly frustrated me that it was being exhibited as a side line to simply highlight the similarities that the curator thought this had with The Scream.
Until next time,
The Raven's Eye Critic
