At the MoMA last week

I was up at the MoMA last week to pay homage to the drawings of Georges Seurat. The exhibit closes today. Suffice to say, I was struck by the light emanating from his creations made simply by conte crayon on textured paper.

Of course, one could not miss the genius of Lucian Freud and Martin Puryear also on display. Mr. Puryear's work has to be physically seen for one to understand the complexity behind them. Images on the web (however detailed) do not convey the work involved.

Georges Seurat, 'Drawbridge', 1882, Conte’ crayon on paper, 9" X 12"

Georges Seurat, 'A woman fishing', 1883, Conte' crayon on paper, 12" X 9"

Martin Puryear, 'Ladder for Booker T. Washington', 1996, Ash and maple, 36' X 22" X 3", Narrows to 1" at the top

Top view of some more Puryear's sculptures


Lucian Freud, 1994, 'Benefits supervisor resting', Oil on canvas, 63" X 59"

This one below seems like a recent addition:

Assume Vivid Astro Focus, 'Wilza', 2003, Archival ink on acetate

I also went around and prayed in front of some evergreen favorites.

Alexander Calder, 'Josephine Baker III', 1927, Steel wire

Jackson Pollock, 1947, 'Full Fathom Five', Oil on canvas with nails, tacks, buttons, key, coins, cigarettes, matches. This was one his first drip paintings later becoming his signature style. The title, suggested by Pollock's neighbor, quotes from Shakespeare’s The Tempest wherein Ariel describes a death by shipwreck:

"Full fathom five thy father lies
Of his bones are coral made
Those are pearls that were his eyes"

Umberto Boccioni, 1913, 'Unique forms of continuity on space', Bronze

Marcel Duchamp, 1912, 'The passage from Virgin to bride', Oil on canvas

John Chamberlain, 1960, Essex, Automobile parts and other metal

Lee Bontecou, 1959, 'Untitled', Welded steel, canvas, black fabric and wire

Leon Ferrari, 1962, 'Untitled (after Rafael Alberti's Sermon of the Blood)', Ink and colored ink on paper