American painter Martin Purer, whose retrospective is being held at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Francisco - continuator affairs and modern minimalist

The Museum of Modern Art San Francisco (SF MOMA) runs a very interesting exhibition - a retrospective of American sculptor Martin Purera (Martin Puryear). In Russia it is not known, it should be, because many art critics classify this as an extremely talented artist «Espacio Afroamericano contemporary art», which in our country, unfortunately, the interest is not yet very high. But let us hope that the situation will soon change: contemporary art, we become increasingly popular.

Purer Martin was born in Washington in 1941. His father worked at the post, and his mother - in elementary school. From the early years Purer been drawing, and master the various subjects. «If I was interested in archery, I made a bow and arrows, if I was interested in music, I did a guitar», - he later recalled. Love the work of his hands have not left a sculptor - he still creating their own works. The artist works slowly, sometimes to create a sculpture he had left long months, and new work, he makes an average of once every three years. It is unlikely in today's Kings of art-market Jeff Koons (Jeff Koons) and Maurizio Kattelana (Maurizio Cattelan), who never touch their creations: they just invent the concept, but all the work they perform assistants.

In 1963, Purer graduated from Catholic University in Washington, where he studied painting. Above the young man threatened with the army: the war in Vietnam was in full swing. Fortunately, podvernulas alternative - volunteer service in the U.S. «Peace Corps» in Sierra Leone, a small state on the Atlantic coast of Africa. Purer They spent two years working in a local school teacher. In Sierra Leone, the artist met with the traditional African crafts, in particular with the carpentry business, and basketry.

After serving in Sierra Leone Purer did not want to return to America and went to Stockholm, which entered the Royal Academy of Art. The artist chose Sweden because that has always admired the Scandinavian design and craftsmanship tamoshnih wood. In Europe, Purer realized that his vocation - to be not a painter or artisans, a sculptor. At the age of twenty-seven years the young man returned to his homeland, where began his studies at Yale University. Then the fashion in the American art scene asked artists minimalist and concise, sterile, «impersonal» art is influenced creativity Purera. Later the sculptor «modified» its minimalism, making it organic, sensual forms, reminiscent of the creations modernists first half of the twentieth century - Arpa Hans (Hans Arp), Constantin Brancusi (Constantin Brâncuşi) and Isam Noguchi (Isamu Noguchi).

When you log on to a spacious bright room SF MOMA, where the exhibited works Purera, the first thing you will notice - the inscription, which prohibits touching the work: they are extremely fragile. The sculptor uses a variety of materials: steel, wire, copper, glass, granite, but mainly it is a tree. Sometimes Purer paint their sculptures in black, but most of his creations - natural shades. So the acid color, which illuminate his sculptures like many young artists, the exhibition of this author, you do not see.

Portfolio Purera striking primarily for its wonderful forms. Sculptures of the artist, most of which are very impressive sizes, often combine organic and geometric shapes. Looking at these exquisite, intricate creations remember much - the African and Indian artifacts is not clear destination; Louise Bourgeois (Louise Bourgeois) , depicting the mysterious symbols of her personal mythology, fantastic facilities, which created the French surrealist ... Purer sculptress very Inventor: difficult to find the same way twice. The artist himself said that, although his art, and abstract, to create his sculptures inspired many forms of real life. Sometimes an artist makes these objects of their sculptures.

The main exhibit - the new sculpture «CFAO» (Compagnie française de l'Afrique occidentale, or «French West Africa»), which is a cart on which are tightly skolochennye wooden «forests». These «forest» adorns illusory face, reminiscent of the faces of saints in the icons. In fact, this person - the flip side of the mask of African Fang tribe.

Art Purera difficult to name «political», but it works sometimes occur motives hints associated with the struggle of African Americans for their rights. One of the most impressive of his works - «Ladder for Booker T. Washington» - named after a prominent black educator. This 11-meter curve stairs, shrinking upward, adorns the lobby of a museum of modern art.

At the auction works of Martin Purera showed about two dozen times, that is rare. The most expensive work Purera is a wooden sculpture by «Pavilion», sold at auction Sotheby's in May 2001. It has 690 thousand dollars. Most artist's sculptures are in museums, as well as in Gallery Donald Young (Donald Young Gallery) in Chicago.

Material prepared Yulia Maksimova

Sources: cghs.dadeschools.net , brooklynrail.org , artprice.com , artinvestment.ru

P. S. A modern sculpture and sculptors can be read as follows:
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Man of steel: the new Richard Serra sculptures in the gallery Gagosyana