The exhibition presents works by Willem de Kooning, Adolph Gottlieb, Arshile Gorky, Barnett Newman, Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, David Smith and others

Gallery Pace, New York, February 22 - March 24, 2012

Arshile Gorky In Horkome. Image. 1934-1936 Oil on canvas Source: thepacegallery.com

Mark Rothko Rituals of Lilith. 1945 oil on canvas, charcoal Source: thepacegallery.com

on Wednesday, February 22, in New York's Pace Gallery opened an exhibition of "Mythology", dedicated to the study of the influence of myths and archetypal images of the origins and development of abstract expressionism. When in the middle of last century, many artists prefer abstract figurative art, in search of inspiration, they turned to the ancient artistic traditions, myths and archaic art. Mythological characters become their initial expression of human passions.

exhibition at Pace focuses on the moment of stylistic transition from figuration to abstraction. The exhibition includes paintings, sculpture, works on paper.

begins exposition of the Surrealists - Joan Miro (Joan Miro), Max Ernst (Max Ernst), Roberto Matta (Roberto Matta) and Andre Masson (Andre Masson). Love these artists to the fantastic images and an interest in "automatic" unconscious creativity, and later paved the way American revolutionary writers (Arshile Gorky), Alexander Calder (Alexander Calder), and Isamu Noguchi (Isamu Noguchi).

exhibition continues earlier work of Willem de Kooning (Willem de Kooning) and David Smith (David Smith) and culminates in the works of early forties, owned by other members of the circle of Abstract Expressionists - Mark Mark Rothko (Mark Rothko), Jackson Pollock (Jackson Pollock), Adolph Gottlieb (Adolph Gottlieb), Barnett Newman (Barnett Newman), and Frederick Kizleru (Frederick Kiesler). Their works demonstrate how in this period was rethought the experience of Picasso and the Surrealists, and began to take an abstraction pronounced American features.

also Pace Gallery in the exhibition presents the audience are two important paintings and drawings collection Arshile Gorky, who was often called the last of the great surrealists, and the first of the abstract expressionists. In preparing the exhibition gallery has worked with family Gorki. In the catalog of the exhibition you can find an interview with the head of Pace Glimchera Marc (Marc Glimcher) with art by Matthew Spender (Matthew Spender), a member of the Board of Directors of the Fund Arshile Gorky (Arshile Gorky Foundation). One of the paintings and drawings include some of the classic series of Hills' Night, a mystery and nostalgia, "as an example of which is seen as the artist explores and weaves together the elements of cubism and surrealism.

Alexander Calder Apple monster. 1938 Wood, wire, paint Source: thepacegallery.com

David Smith curved shape. 1937 Steel Source: thepacegallery.com

Among other striking works of the exhibition - a small painting by Willem de Kooning under the title "Father, mother, sister, brother," 1937, which was involved in ended in January, William de Kooning retrospective at the Museum MoMA, as well as the important work of Newman, which has recently been included in the collection of the Houston Museum Menil Collection. Also pay attention to three major sculptures by David Smith (David Smith) and two paintings and two works on paper by Mark Rothko.

Many of the works, such as alabaster sculpture Noguchi " Leda "in 1942, a large canvas by Mark Rothko," Rituals of Lilith "in 1945, and the work of Adolph Gottlieb (Adolph Gottlieb)« Eyes of Oedipus "(1941) directly refer to the Greek, Babylonian, the Judeo-Christian myths, while others have to mythology more indirectly. The last ones are for the period, when artists began to abandon the figurative in favor of more abstract forms of symbolic, referring to the universal and eternal values ​​that are present in all cultures.

Frequent mythological story of metamorphosis, degeneration appears in the works of the epoch under consideration in the form of biomorphic ovoid forms, sometimes resembling hieroglyphics, or amoebas. At the heart of these works are surreal art through the disclosure of unconscious automatism of the creative process - a method that is passed in the arms of younger artists, including Arshile Gorky, Roberto Matta. Reallocation of indeterminate forms in the paintings of this time makes the viewer the illusion of immersion in the era of the origin of life.

In 1943, participating in radio program "The Art of New York," Gottlieb and Rothko discussed the role of myths in his work. Then, Rothko explained the appeal of his contemporaries-artists to the theme of the myth: "The names of our paintings refer to the famous ancient myths, as they are timeless symbols that we have to go back to express basic concepts of psychology. These are universal symbols of primitive human fears and desires, no matter when and where he lives. [Throughout human history] can change their details, but not the essence, and it is equally true for the Greek, Aztec, Egyptian or Icelandic myths. Modern psychology tells us that they live in our dreams, in our everyday life, in our art, in spite all the changes in external conditions of life ».

Material Maria prepared Estrova, AI

Source: thepacegallery.com , artinvestment.ru