2008 Woodie Awards
'Drawings' portrayed as artist's purposeful experiment
Garikes, Kathryn
Issue date: 10/15/07 Section: Fine Arts
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The newest exhibit at the Museum of Art, "Drawings" by Magdalena Abakanowicz, is a collection of 25 years worth of her work. The artist is known for her individualistic visions in both her drawings and sculptures. Her art career began when she was a child and began carving into the clay earth with a stick. In doing this, she noticed and appreciated not only the drawing but the cracks in the dirt as well. As she matured, her method of creating art became imbedded within her; however, her scribbling, sketchy method was "corrected" at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. It was not until the 1980s that Magdalena returned to her imperfect method of drawing and painting. She chooses not to mask the cracks or mistakes in her work but instead builds layer upon layer to correct the problems. In doing this, the viewer sees and understands her process in creating the work.
The exhibit displays a series of trees, flowers, the human face and flies. Each of the images is drawn on a large scale and is done primarily in black and white. While the subjects vary, the style in which they are formed remains consistent. The artist seems to begin with an idea that needs to be rendered and solved, and she does this on the paper for the viewer to witness. All of her works are ideas that have been resolved.
The exhibit contains a "Cycle Flower Series," "Faces Which art Not Portraits," a "Tree Series," "Cycle Corps" and "Cycle Flies." Each of these series is done in charcoal, gauche and/or Chinese ink that appears rich, layered and painterly.
The flowers appear engorged and human like. Each petal looks as if it is a swollen stomach, an upper back or another human body part. The motions of the medium can be read as hurried scribbles or as purposeful, passionate marks.
The portraits are abstract and done in gauche. The faces are larger than life portrayals of false people, given life and character through their intense, vivacious marks.
The trees appear dense and transparent at the same time. The drawings display the exterior and the interior of the tree trunks making the drawing textured and grounded as well as soft and translucent.
The corps are thick and, as with the trees, seem to be displaying the back and stomach of the human form. The spinal cord and a swollen stomach are both depicted, which sparks both interest and curiosity within the onlooker. It's almost as if the artist can not decide which view to portray, so she depicts each.
The flies, while much larger than life, appear real. The wings seem fleeting and frail while their cylinder bodies seem heavy and cocoon like. All of the drawings appear fluid and lose, as an experiment that the artist has purposely chosen to conduct.
This exhibit will be open through Jan. 15, so you have plenty of time to go take a look.
The Mobile Museum of Art is open to the public Monday - Saturday. from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. For information, please visit http://www.mobilemuseumofart.com.
The exhibit displays a series of trees, flowers, the human face and flies. Each of the images is drawn on a large scale and is done primarily in black and white. While the subjects vary, the style in which they are formed remains consistent. The artist seems to begin with an idea that needs to be rendered and solved, and she does this on the paper for the viewer to witness. All of her works are ideas that have been resolved.
The exhibit contains a "Cycle Flower Series," "Faces Which art Not Portraits," a "Tree Series," "Cycle Corps" and "Cycle Flies." Each of these series is done in charcoal, gauche and/or Chinese ink that appears rich, layered and painterly.
The flowers appear engorged and human like. Each petal looks as if it is a swollen stomach, an upper back or another human body part. The motions of the medium can be read as hurried scribbles or as purposeful, passionate marks.
The portraits are abstract and done in gauche. The faces are larger than life portrayals of false people, given life and character through their intense, vivacious marks.
The trees appear dense and transparent at the same time. The drawings display the exterior and the interior of the tree trunks making the drawing textured and grounded as well as soft and translucent.
The corps are thick and, as with the trees, seem to be displaying the back and stomach of the human form. The spinal cord and a swollen stomach are both depicted, which sparks both interest and curiosity within the onlooker. It's almost as if the artist can not decide which view to portray, so she depicts each.
The flies, while much larger than life, appear real. The wings seem fleeting and frail while their cylinder bodies seem heavy and cocoon like. All of the drawings appear fluid and lose, as an experiment that the artist has purposely chosen to conduct.
This exhibit will be open through Jan. 15, so you have plenty of time to go take a look.
The Mobile Museum of Art is open to the public Monday - Saturday. from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. For information, please visit http://www.mobilemuseumofart.com.
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