Untitled Yet Undeniably Stirring: An Intern’s Perspective on Uelsmann

March 8th, 2013

Jerry N. Uelsmann (b.1934), Untitled, 1963, Gelatin Silver Print, 7 3/4 x 9 5/8 in, Collection of the Artist, © Jerry Uelsmann

After viewing the exhibition,  The Mind’s Eye: 50 Years of Photography by Jerry Ueslmann, I walked out knowing clearly and precisely which image was my favorite.  This had never happened to me before.  And, not only was this my favorite work in this exhibit, but it immediately became one of the most favorite images I have ever experienced.  Have you ever been so immediately affected and transformed by experiencing a piece of art?  What moved you so much that you still carry that memory with you?

The piece that I am speaking of is located in the section of the exhibition titled “Self” and it is titled, “Untitled, 1963″.  On the left side of this photo, you can see a giant tree outside showered in a bright light. The right side of this image is the exact opposite – it is so dark and dismal, that upon first glance, one misses the important detail that there is a woman sitting in darkness staring out at the viewer.  This realization is startling and it makes my heart jump for a second. With this work, Uelsmann has created a strong juxtaposition of light and dark. To me, there is also a strong contrast between life or lack thereof.  As you look at this image, were you surprised to find this woman in the dark? In looking at her more closely, what do you think she is feeling or thinking about? Read More »

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An Intern’s Perspective: Uelsmann’s “Mechanical Man #2” Staring Me Down, Back to Reality!

January 29th, 2013

This black and white image from 1959 is currently located in the section of the Jerry Uelsmann exhibition titled “Self”.  It depicts a young man, with a receding hair-line, wearing dark black rimmed glassed staring out at the viewer.  He wears a black suit with a white collared shirt – clearly a devout member of the workforce just like us. But what is odd, shocking and quite disturbing is that his exposed internal cavity area is a switchboard with many tangled wires and light bulbs – some lit up, some not.  What do this man’s insides make you think of? Do you share my sentiments of uncomfortability? Read More »

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An Intern’s Perspective: Matthias Pleissnig’s Thonet Chair

January 18th, 2013

Pliessnig, Matthias,b. 1978,Thonet Chair Wrapped in Bent Wood, 2007, H. 42 x W. 22 x D. 27 inches, Steam bent white oak, Collection of the Artist

When I look at this chair by Matthias Pleissnig, the phrase: “No End No Beginning: Loopy Strength” pops into my head. You can find this chair on display in the Intelligent Design exhibition.

When I first saw this piece, I thought it was quite interesting, thoughtful and strange-I had to stand and stare for a long while.  As “cool-looking” as it was, I did not get it.  What are your initial thoughts about this piece?

I still probably don’t get it, but something about this piece is so inviting and attractive to me, that I still have to stop and stare at it each time I walk by it in the galleries. Perhaps it is the fact that this is a chair, but there is so much movement to this inanimate object. This movement is personal to me and it changes each time I view this piece. Everyone I speak to about this piece also agrees on its inviting rhythm.

In looking at this work, can you tell that it is chair?  Do you also, secretly, wish you could sit on it and test it out?

Read More »

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From the Intern’s Desk: Reflections on the Cartoons of Tony Auth

June 13th, 2012
Tony Auth, Grim Reminder, October 2, 2009, Ink on paper, H. 11 x W. 13 ½. Collection of the Tony Auth Archive.

Tony Auth, Grim Reminder, October 2, 2009, Ink on paper, H. 11 x W. 13 ½. Collection of the Tony Auth Archive.

As an intern at the Michener Art Museum for the summer, it has been a huge learning experience for me to work here and prepare for the newly installed Tony Auth exhibit, To Stir Inform and Inflame: The Art of Tony Auth. My job pertains to education and new media, which has allowed me to research a lot of Tony Auth’s work and consider how best to present it to young visitors. Auth’s work presents an interesting challenge for young viewers in that it discusses very significant and controversial topics in a medium which is most relevant to a very young audience. The innocence of the cartoon is something I think our society has assumed based on the prevalence of children’s shows and the Sunday paper, but historically the cartoon has been used as political propaganda, and understudies for major works of art. Tony Auth’s work effectively utilizes the cartoon as a tool for reconsidering current events and the general political atmosphere of our country, while using the simplified drawing techniques to satirize his figures. In looking at his work, what characters has he created that you especially appreciate? What makes them humorous or telling? Read More »

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Alan Goldstein: Merging Architecture with Nature

July 18th, 2011

Alan Goldstein, b. 1938, Upriver from Lumberville: Walking Bridge II, 1984, oil on canvas, James A. Michener Art Museum, purchased with funds provided by Anne and Joseph Gardocki.

Alan Goldstein, b. 1938, Upriver from Lumberville: Walking Bridge II, 1984, oil on canvas, James A. Michener Art Museum, purchased with funds provided by Anne and Joseph Gardocki.

Alan Goldstein is an abstract painter who works predominantly with paint, ink and mixed media. He has experimented with diverse media, including tar, rope, steel, and fabric.

Goldstein started his formal schooling by studying architecture, the art or practice of designing and constructing buildings. Do you see anything in Upriver from Lumberville that reminds you of architecture?

Architecture continues to inspire the things Goldstein includes in his work. After looking at this painting, look at some photographs taken of local Bucks County buildings. Better yet, travel around the county. Do you see any elements in the buildings that look like they could be part of Goldstein’s painting?

In addition, the natural beauty of Bucks County inspires Goldstein. He enjoys traveling around the countryside finding views of hills, rivers, stonewalls, meadows and forests that interest him. Sometimes he sketches his ideas, sometimes he photographs them, and sometimes he simply remembers the images for a future work of art. When Goldstein photographs his work, he often combines different photographs in a collage.  He then uses the collage as a basis for his paintings, a technique used in Upriver from Lumberville. He finds patterns in the repetition of roads, rivers and trees. His colors come from nature, though like any artist he changes the colors in order to have a successful composition. Look carefully at Upriver from Lumberville.  What in nature can you find in this painting? How is this painting a landscape? Read More »

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