True to His Abstraction – Ellsworth Kelly – An Explorer of Shape, Line and Color

Carol Vogel has written a very interesting article entitled “True to His Abstraction” in the Art & Design section of The New York Times, looking at the work of the abstract artist Ellsworth Kelly, his painting, sculptures, reliefs and prints, and his life-long focus on abstraction.  Sharp, aware, inspiring and vibrant, Kelly, 88 years old, offers some fascinating commentary on his work, and the work of others, and is, in many ways, an exemplary artist’s artist, dedicated to his vision, despite the vicissitudes of the art market and the art-star status of many of his contemporaries.

The article includes an excellent slideshow, here.

See our post Ellsworth Kelly – Reliefs 2009-2010 & Black & White Drawings – His Own Richest Source of Inspiration

top image: Ellsworth Kelly/Matthew Marks Gallery, The New York Times

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On Helen Frankenthaler & John Chamberlain – Two Artists Who Embraced Freedom, by Roberta Smith

The thoughtful and astute art critic Roberta Smith, has written a short article entitled “Two Artists Who Embraced Freedom” in the Art & Design section of The New York Times looking at the similarities and differences between the works of the artists Helen Frankenthaler and John Chamberlain, who both, sadly, passed away very recently.  Smith’s sensitive and sharp mind and feeling for their work offers a discrete eulogy for two great American artists, their work’s importance in the transition from Abstract Expressionism, and the continued repercussions of their techniques and sensibilities even today.

Grace Glueck has also written a very fine article entitled “Helen Frankenthaler, Abstract Painter Who Shaped a Movement, Dies at 83” this time, in the Arts section of The New York Times, looking at, in more detail, the beautiful and pioneering work of Frankenthaler.

An excellent slideshow accompanies the article, here.

See our previous post on Helen Frankenthaler, Helen Frankenthaler – 30 Years of More Than Colorfield at Knoedler & Co.

top image: Mountains and Sea, by Helen Frankenthaler: Helen Frankenthaler/Artists Rights Society (ARS) New York/The New York Times

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Pop Rides the News Cycle – Andy Warhol as Precursor to Twitter & Facebook

Holland Cotter has written a superb and insightful article entitled “Pop Rides the News Cycle” in the Art & Design section of The New York Times, looking at the work, and person, of Andy Warhol, his gimlet-eyed perceptions of the integration of news, commerce and art, and two exhibitions currently on view in the U.S. capitol, “Warhol: Headlines” at the National Gallery of Art and (through 2 January 2012) “Andy Warhol: Shadows,” (through 15 January 2012) at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.  Astounding.  Sharp, concise, deep, and clear.  A must-read, whether you can get to D.C. to view the shows, or not.

Excellent, but brief, slideshow, here.

Ndlr: scopophiliac, according to Wikipedia.

top image: Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh, Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc./Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/The New York Times

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Carl Andre – “A thing is a hole in a thing it is not.” – Grand Minimalism

‘War and Rumours of War’ (2002) by Carl Andre

“For Carl Andre, Less is Still Less”, by Randy Kennedy in the Art & Design section of The New York Times, looks at the rigorously minimal, demanding, and wonderful work (and, glancingly, at the life) of the great minimalist artist Carl Andre, in the context of the publication of a maximalist survey of his 50-year career by Phaidon (“Carl Andre: Things in Their Elements” (Phaidon Press)) and an upcoming (2013) retrospective of his work at Dia:Beacon. We have all (one hopes) had, over the decades, the good luck to appreciate Mr. Andre’s work (perhaps even at the, frankly iconic, and always dynamic, Paula Cooper Gallery in NYC); though many like Judd‘s work (we love it), and some think of Serra (we love Serra’s work as well), Carl Andre is certainly what may be called a minimalist’s minimalist: Maximal. Magnificent.  Material.

Very good slide show, here, with images from the excellent new book published by Phaidon, “Carl Andre: Things in Their Elements”.

Inspiring interactive multimedia look, entitled “His horizontal life”, at three of Carl Andre’s pieces with commentary by Randy Kennedy, here.

image: From ‘Carl Andre: Things in Their Elements’ (Phaidon Press); Carl Andre/Licensed by VAGA, New York; courtesy of Tom Powel/Paula Cooper/The New York Times

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Anish Kapoor – Monumental in Paris

“Memory” by Anish Kapoor, at the Deutsche Guggenheim (2009)

Natasha Garnett has written “Anish in Paris”, in the WSJ Magazine section of The Wall Street Journal, an excellent article and interview with the renowned, ambitious and charming Indian-born, British artist Anish Kapoor, looking at his work, his thoughts about art and fame, and his upcoming monumental work, “Leviathan“, for Monumenta in Paris:  An enormous inflatable ”balloon”, a major departure for the artist, who has worked almost exclusively with solid, predominantly metal, constructions, that will fill the vast, light-filled nef of the Grand Palais in Paris from 11 May- 23 June 2011.

Anish Kapoor in his London studio, with unfinished works and a member of his team standing by.

An excellent slideshow accompanies Garnett’s article, here.

Monumenta’s wonderful official site, including photos, interviews and videos with Kapoor, here.

The Grand Palais’s fascinating official site, including a virtual visit, here.

 image: Top, Mathias Schormann/courtesy of the artist and Deutsche Guggenheim/The Wall Street Journal, bottom, Photograph by Adam Broomberg and Oliver Chanarin/The Wall Street Journal

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