Art in NYC: The Colmar Treasure at the Met Cloisters

Art in NYC: The Colmar Treasure at the Met Cloisters

A Medieval Jewish Legacy, the Colmar Treasure exhibition highlights the tragedy of persecution by featuring the art and jewels hidden away around 1349 by a Jewish family from Colmar in Alsace (France)

Jewish ceremonial wedding ring from the Colmar Treasure at the Met Cloisters
Jewish ceremonial wedding ring, from the Colmar Treasure, ca. 1300– before 1348. Musée de Cluny – Musée national du Moyen Âge, RMN-Grand Palais / Art Resource, NY

The Met Cloisters presents the precious objects of Colmar Treasure from Musee de Cluny in Paris alongside the Judaica from its collection and the private funds. The Cloisters are situated in a picturesque medieval castle surrounded by the lush greenery of Fort Tryon Park, which overlooks the sprawling Hudson River. The exhibition is curated by Barbara Drake Boehm, the Paul and Jill Ruddock Senior Curator, Department of Medieval Art and The Cloisters.

Colmar, a town in the modern-day Alsace region of France, was part of the Holy Roman Empire in the 14-century and traded hands between Germany and France up until World War I. A fast-growing and wealthy wine region, the town was a home for a thriving Jewish community that built a synagogue, a mikveh, and a school there.

The Colmar Treasure was accidentally discovered on Rue de Jiefs in 1863 during the construction of a confectionary shop. First kept in the private hands, in 1923 it was acquired by Musee de Cluny in Paris. While personal and small in its size, the stash of rings, coins, delicate silver belt, and appliqué, and the rest of the decorative objects discovered in Colmar presents a cautionary tale of hope, intolerance, tragedy, and societal betrayal in medieval Europe. The collection serves as a cautionary reminder of the past tragic mistakes driven by intolerance and mistrust.

Visit the exhibition, stroll the Cloisters, and admire the art that celebrates piety, devotion, sacrifice, and mercy. The Colmar Treasure occupies only one small hall of the museum but it tells a profound story. On view from July 22, 2019 – January 12, 2020.

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Beyond NYC: Mark Dion Follies at Storm King Art Center

Beyond NYC: Mark Dion Follies at Storm King Art Center

Storm King Art Center presents a survey of works by an American conceptual artist Mark Dion titled Follies; on view until November 11, 2019

Mark Dion, Hunting Blind (The Dandy Rococo)
Mark Dion, Hunting Blind (The Dandy Rococo), 2008/2019; photo by Jeffrey Jenkins / Courtesy the artist and Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, New York/Los Angeles

The rolling hills and wooded greenery of the Storm King Art Center make a perfect site to display the architectural follies created by the conceptual artists Mark Dion. Known for his scientific installations and exploration into momentous obsessions, Dion’s follies which are presented as self-contained thematic stations,  can be found on the vest outdoor grounds of the park and at its museum galleries.

The peculiar structures by Dion are situated around the North Woods, Meadows, and South fields sections of the park. They fit so perfectly to the surrounding nature that they require some effort to be found. Rewarding those who are brave enough to venture into the woods and to the far parts of the center, the art tells stories about various traits of human behavior and life circumstances. Some of the installations are created for interactive use. Others can only be observed from afar. But a unifying theme for the art is its gentle nudge to look at the conventional objects in a new light as symbols and symptoms of affection.

Mark Dion, Dana Sherwood, Conservatory for Confectionery Curiosities
Mark Dion, Dana Sherwood, Conservatory for Confectionery Curiosities, 2008/2019; photo by Jeffrey Jenkins / Courtesy the artists and Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, New York/Los Angeles

The 9 pieces positioned outdoors explore a human interest in nature, environments, scientific observation, and even confectionary temptation. The works housed indoors closely scrutinize the dark sides of life choices. Both mellow and sharp, the artworks emphasize the disruptive nature of even simple action. The exhibition review in the FT notes that “hunting, finding, collecting, measuring, preserving — these activities common to art, sport and science merge in Dion’s work”. This kaleidoscope of objects makes a parallel to the prior centuries personal collections of curiosities. It fascinates and makes one pause to rethink humans’ relationship with the environment. Look around, contemplate, and wonder about a way to bring more harmony into everyday life. Visit the Storm King Art Center and enjoy Mark Dion: Follies exhibit!  

 

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Beyond NY: Contemporary Art at Dia:Beacon in Beautiful Dutchess County, NY

Beyond NY: Contemporary Art at Dia:Beacon in Beautiful Dutchess County, NY

The sanctuary for contemporary art fans, this unique and fascinating art space in Beacon, NY will be a highlight of your trip to Dutchess County,  NY

Dia Beacon Contemporary Art Dutchess County NY
Dia: Beacon Exterior Shot; Photo by Bill Jacobson / Image courtesy of Dia: Beacon

Located in the south-west corner of Dutchess County, the city of Beacon is having its renaissance with colorful art-galleries, artistic collectives, unions and institutes lining up its main street and adding to its creative vibe. Only hour and a half train ride from the city, Beacon offers its visitors a reformative experience of green countryside and vibrant artworks.

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Its most alluring treasure, Dia: Beacon, the art and exhibition space that occupies former industrial box-printing facility for Nabisco (National Biscuit Company) factory, is a delight for contemporary art connoisseurs and those who are open to stepping into an unknown territory. Dia: Beacon collection includes paintings, photographs, sculpture, and multi-media works. What strikes the visitors entering the museum are the streams of natural light. Many of the works are site-specific to fit the space and its lighting arrangements in the most artistically productive way. Andy Warhol, Richard Serra, Gerhard Richter and other contemporary masters contributed and created works for Dia installed here for a long-term or permanently. This type of arrangement seems to slow down the passage of time and makes the artwork an integral part of the space itself.

Explore the collection at your own pace or join an informative tour which highlights the works selectively.

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Beyond NYC: Barrett Art Center in Poughkeepsie, NY

Beyond NYC: Barrett Art Center in Poughkeepsie, NY

Fall 2018 exhibitions and talks for the local community 

Contributed by Anna Adler, Outreach & Operations Coordinator, Barrett Art Center, Poughkeepsie, NY

Kathryn Cirincione, Waiting
Kathryn Cirincione, Waiting / Image courtesy of the artist

Home of the Dutchess County Art Association from its founding in 1935, Barrett Art Center in Poughkeepsie, NY is operated with a broad mission of fostering and perpetuating an appreciation of the visual arts in the Mid-Hudson Valley.

Upcoming events:

THIS Saturday, Nov 3, join us for a  Found Object Sculpture Workshop with Suprina (12-3pm) and New Directions Artist Talks (3-4pm).

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Art in NYC: Giacometti at the Guggenheim Museum

Art in NYC: Giacometti at the Guggenheim Museum

Expansive expose of Giacometti’s sculptures, paintings and drawings on view at the Guggenheim until September 12, 2018

Paintings Sculptures Giacometti Guggenheim Museum New York City Dog
Alberto Giacometti Dog (Le Chien), 1951 Bronze, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC

Alberto Giacometti doesn’t need an elaborate introduction. His signature figures of striding tall men and extremely elongated silhouettes of women standing on heavy pedestals are immediately recognizable and treasured. Yet with all its familiarity and accessibility, the exhibition at Guggenheim uncovers the roots of artist’s journey from Cubism in his early years to figurative compositions in his later period adding layers of depth and influences.

Guggenheim’s spiraling rotunda which houses the exhibition’s vast number of sculptures, painting, and sketches serves as a symbolic climb to the triumph of Giacometti’s life work. His search for a true representation of humanity in its stillness and action are accompanied by meticulous curatorial introductions and labels. There is a lot behind each piece of work from the tiniest figurines to the towering sculptures. Get close to the artist’s thinking and immerse yourself into the existential art of “a Certified Genius™” as the FT calls the artist. The exhibition is on view until September 12, 2018.

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