Musings and Mutterings

Impressionists Make a Good Impression

I really enjoyed the Impressionist Exhibit in the new building of the St. Louis Art Museum.  I saw it yesterday and it was fantastic.  I paid $14 to get in and that came with a "free" audio tour listening device to go along for the ride.  That was simple to operate and I did enjoy additional insights and commentary from the various speakers/art historians. 

The Exhibit is set up to show you the period from 1830-1870 in France -- it shows a transition from an agricultural country to one with increasingly important amounts of industrialization.  It also falls during a period of reconstruction after the Prussia-Franco War.  All your favorite impressionists are likely presented.  Monet, goes without saying, but I also enjoy paintings by Renoir, Degas, Manet, Pizzaro and Morrisot.  There are many impressive photographers represented too (3 main ones I believe). 

The Exhibit is split into 7 (I think) environments (for lack of a better term) to show France's evolution.  The city, country (agriculture), forest, oceans/beaches, mountains, industry, and rivers/streams.  The exhibit and commentary tries to put this in historic evolutionary perspective and also provide insight as to how the average Frenchman/populace may have reacted to various depictions.  There is also commentary how critics may have received these works. 

I liked the mix of photography and paintings within certain subject areas.  That way you received a mix of different types of images and were not restricted to a single medium at a time.  From time to time, this was further supplemented with books, maps and computer audio visual aids -- plus you had your friendly walking tour audio commentators helping you around. 

That said, I enjoyed turning off the audio from time to time and just looking at the paintings.  I love impressionists (and find it hard to believe how many critics railed against their work in real time).  The imagery and use of color and light is just fanastic.  I was equally impressed that the photographers on display were able to do many of the same things with light -- at a time when technology of photography was much more limited.  They did this with multiple negative and different exposure times.  Fascinating effects.

It is a real pleasure to see an Exhibit of this magnitude mounted in St Louis.  The art is coming from many places in the US (and presumably other parts of the world -- I confess I didn't pay enough attention).  But I did notice pieces from my origihal home museum in Pittsburgh -- The Carnegie, and also noticed works from Nelson-Atkins in KC.  It was a wonderful exhibit and you should check it out at least once while you are here. For the real art lover, it would be worth the trip to St Louis to visit.

Posted by Bruce Lehr June 23rd 2014.

 

Prohibition Learnings

I saw the Prohibition Exhibit at the Missouri History Museum yesterday.  It was an eye opener and I thought I knew a fair amount about Prohibition.  One central fact that I think most of us are unaware of was that the US in the 1870-1920 period really DID have a severe drinking problem.  Much worse than anything you can point to today.  In that time span, the AVERAGE amercian had 930 fifths of 40 proof alcohol per year --- equivalent to 4 shots per day, or 7 gallons of pure alcohol per year.  That is 3X today's rate and is the highest recorded rate in US History.  So, there probably was a very good reason that some smart people proposed this sort of radical solution. 

I also learned that while groups like the Women's Christian Temperance Union (WTCU) and figures like Carry A. Nation are supposed to have led the charge, they were largely figureheads.  The real muscle behind the passage of prohibition (18th amendment) was the Anti-Saloon League.  A male dominated group with many savvy politicians.  They used the political process -- largely getting people elected or defeated locally as a means to gain power for the "Dry's".  And they were also very effective lobbyists and users of te congressional committees to ultimately get the 18th amendment passed.

Problem was the idea was untenable due to the large numbers of alcohol consumers who were neither alcoholics or criminals -- yet willfully and publicly broke the law during prohibition.  This undermined the authorities moral high-ground. Prohibition also created a strong profit motive for criminals to supply alcohol illegally -- and given the wide-scope also forced them to engage n rampant bribery to keep their establishments open (they were too obvious to stay hidden.  The speak--easy may have looked to downplay attention but it didn't take rocket science to locate one.  And in the upscale ones, like the Cotton Club, you were likely to see a who's who of politicians, movie stars and athletes which did nothing to uphold the law.

Ironically, prohibition was successful in reducing abusive drinking rates overall (up to a 70% drop) -- though it did increase rates of binge drinking.  However, it met its demise as the public became jaded to lack of enforcement and it ran into the Great Depression.  At that point, the Government needed money from liquor taxes or anything else it could get its hands on, and didn't need the additional cost of trying to enforce a law that was unenforceable -- with the associated violence on the organized crme side of things to boot.  So prohibition got the boot in 1932 with the 21st Amendment.  Curiously, another benefit of Prohibition was likely women winnng the right to vote (Dry's needed their votes). 

Posted by Bruce Lehr June 9th 2014.

Art in Bloom Blossums

I caught Art in Bloom yesterday at the St Louis Art Museum.  It is an exhibit where floral artists have been invited to create arrangements that depict/complement various selected paintings throughout the museum.  It is really a cool idea.  And judging from the crowds that I encountered yesterday -- even when competing with events like Mardis Gras -- is a popular with may art, flower and museum lovers.

I think flowers just make you feel good generally.  And when you combine that with creativity to interpret various paintings well that is spectacular.  The exhibit really adds zest and color to the environment.  The audience was broad and happy.  The surroundings are just palin beautiful. Below I've included some pictures of a few of my favorite arrangements. 

This is a floral depiction of a painting called Grey Space located in the new East Wing. I like the way they captured the colors and also the lines that mimic a striking part of the painting.

 

 

 

 

This second one depicts an interpretation of Edge of All Activity.  You can see it is an amazzingly accurate depiction -- colors and shapes.  I wasn't as impressed with it due to the lack of variety of flowers -- pretty much all carnations -- but it is strikingly different than other arrangments in the show and maybe that's why the judges selected it.

 

 

 

This last one is of course Water Lillies.  You can see it was highly decorated by the judges in a variety of categories. It does a remarkable job of capturing the colors and flow of Monet's masterpiece.  I'm sure it didn't hurt to be complementing a Monet either.  This show continues through March 2nd - so if you haven't seen it -- you'll need to run down today.

Posted by Bruce Lehr Mar 2nd 2014.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tea Pot Exhibit - Cool!

If you had ever told me that I would willingly go visit an art exhibit featuring teapots, on my own accord no less, I'd have said that your were crazy.  Nevertheless, that's exactly what I did Saturday afternoon.  I visited the Fif-Tea 14th Biennial Teapot Exhibition held at the Craft Alliance in University City.  And you know what?  I enjoyed it.

 

First off, the Craft Alliance people were very friendly.  I like it when people are excited about what they do and make you feel welcomed. I also like the exhibit space.  Small and intimate yet there was plenty of room to walk around unmolested by crowds and to really get as good a look as you wanted with each piece.  I've posted some of my personal favorites here.

Additionally, if you should go, they do have a free poster that depicts most, if not all of the teapots that were on display.  I liked it and thought the whole event was cool.  It was great seeing the different designs and imagination set forth by the artists. 

Posted by Bruce Lehr Feb 24th 2014.

I loved 1968

The Missouri History Museum currently is featuring an Exhibit on the year 1968.  It was a tumultuous year that brought us the Tet Offensive (Jan.), King assassination (Apr), Kennedy assassination (June), the Chicago Democratic convention (Aug) and a key pre-moon landing Apollo mission (Dec).  I found it fascinating.  I was born in 1957 so remember 1968 well.  It was enjoyable for me to review even though all the memories weren't good ones or pleasant.  But in many ways it was my formative time.

I spent the first part of my tour through time reviewing some of the materials on Viet Nam.  They had a replica med evac helicopter in th eexhibit.  It was used as a vehicle to play video and audio interviews from many of the common soldiers and nurses who serve in the theater on the ground.  I found those real and poignant for the most part.  All the views were complex.  Everyone liked something about their experience and found other portions excruciating but all were changed by it as was the society at large. 

There were also very good short films on Martin Luther king including portions of his I've been to the Mountaintop speech (7 min). I love hearing his delivery and content. His struggle was memorable.  Likewise, the piece (4 min 30 sec) on the Chicago demonstrations during the conventions were impactful.  It was amazing to also see Dan Rather and Daniel Schorr being harassed/assaulted on the convention floor by "security staff" and having Cronkite calling them thugs on the air.  Amazing really.  The riots in the streets were also unprecedented in many ways -- and were captured on TV.  It's no wonder the society felt like it was imploding to many -- especially from earlier generations.

Some exhibit space was also dedicated to various protest movements that were prevalent at the time -- Black Panthers/Black Power, Women's Liberation, America Indian Movement, War on Poverty, Poor People's March.  Quite remarkable, Sexual liberation.  Almost too much going on to believe. 

 

 

 

The 60's also were odd from a pop and drug culture perspective.  As the Exhibit shows it brought us free love, flower power, advertising, plastics. Laugh In, mod clothes, hippies and yippies, bikinis, mini, midi and maxi skirts, bra burning.  I enjoyed watching a film reel that showed movies like The Graduate, Cool Hand Luke, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Bullit, The Green Berets, Rosemary's Baby, Funny Girl, Night of the Living Dead, The Odd Couple, The Producers, and Psych-Out.  TV shows included Bewitched, Family Affair, The Monkees, Star Trek, Get Smart!, Laugh-In, Mannix, The Smothers Brothers Show, The Carol Burnett Show and Mr. Roger's Neighborhood. 

 

 

 

 I really really enjoyed the Exhibit.  I may go back several more times.  It definitely left me with a smile even if there were plenty of bitter sweet memories and moments as well.  All I can say is I'll see you Tomorrow. 

 

Posted by Bruce Lehr Oct 13th 2013.

Forest Park Art Museum New Wing

I'm going to be brief and blunt.  I'm happy the art museum put on a new wing. It is wonderful that they now have a suitable venue to display parts of their collection permanently that they just couldn't show regularly due to lack of space.  That is a gift to the art community anyway you slice it. 

But.......the actual architecture and design of the building -- as many critics have opined -- is boring.  It was visually unimpressive from the outside --- especially if you're looking for Cass Gilbert or I.M. Pei inspired work.  Check out one view here.

Okay.  One picture in this case does not tell the whole story (and the lousy photography is mine), but it also gives the impression that the building is relatively ordinary.  Inside, it is stark and utilitarian.  It reminds me of a Norwegian furniture store.  All beech or birch wood flooring with small, thin metallic grating for the air returns.  The ceiling consists of rectangular cement recesses with recessed rectangular light fixtures and recessed spots.  No doubt the building is extremely functional and it certainly serves to provide a good space to show the art.  But is doesn't sizzle from a design point of view.

Now to the art.  The collection is dominated by various German and American modern schools from slightly before WWII to the post-war present.  Again, I applaud the fact that this collection is now available for public view.  But I was not blown away by the art by any means.  Much has a very dreary feel from my perspective.  I did like several pieces that I can recall though. 

There was an installation of maybe 16 paintings displayed in a large 4 x 4 array from Martin Kippenberger -- I really liked a blue haired (though not old) nude that was placed in the bottom left row of the cube.  She had a sensuous figure and big vunerable looking eyes with light blue hair.  I found it a hauntingly pretty image. 

I also liked a video (electronic) installation by Louis Cameron that was created by shooting a picture of a 6-pack of Heineken and then using the computer to distort (elongate) the image and slowly scroll it over the screen.  It bore no resemblance to the original object -- you would have never guessed -- but it did maintain the colors and resulted in an interesting and appealing image for me.

I also liked Fank Stella arabic named painting (didn't write it down) that translated as "City of Peace" or a nickname for Baghdad apparently.  It consisted of a series of colorful semi-circles stitched together to form an odd geometric pattern that was appealing to the eye.  See below.

 Finally, I liked a piece called Spectrum II by Ellsworth Kelly.  It is a study of how the eye perceives color.  It turns the normal spectrum on its head -- not displaying it in the normal ROY G BIV pattern we all learned in school.  Rather the painting is displayed as Y G BIV ROY.  It plays tricks on the eye as the colors -- though the same -- appear to be different in juxataposition with different colored borders.  See below.

Go to the Art Museum.  Check out the art and ignore the building as potential art.  Apparently that was the intent of the architect and commissioners of the work anyway.

Posted by Bruce Lehr July 28th 2013.

 

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New Civil War Museum to Open In June at Jefferson Barracks

I noticed in paper yesterday morning that a new pre- through Civil War Museum will open in end of June at Jefferson Barracks.  It is housed in a newly restored ($1.7 M job) building that preserves the original history.  It will open in time to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the Battle at Gettysburg (July 1-3rd 1863) among other things.  I can't wait to check it out myself and will do so when it opens.

Posted by Bruce Lehr June 16th 2013 

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Pro Football HOF Comes to St Louis

I saw the Pro Football HOF Exhibit at the Missouri History Museum today and enjoyed it.  First off, the $10 admission price was quite reasonable.  I liked the mix of printed and audio exhibits.  There were video highlights for the Top 10 finishes - plays like the Immaculate Reception, The Catch, The Holy Roller, Buffalo's Miracle versus Houston, and the Drew Pearson obvious Push Off for 6 and the win versus the Vikings.

They had some good history on the original teams in the League. Amazingly 35 different teams folded in the League's first 10 years including several teams that won the league championship.  There was an Exhibit on the first black playersand the players that really broke the color line post-1946 in Pro ball that included -- Marion Motley and Bill Willis of the Cleveland Browns and Kenny Washington and Woody Strode by the LA Rams.  The latter two were largely signed to allow the Rams to play in the coliseum, as a non-segregated team,  in order to be compliant with Plessey vs Ferguson decision since the coliseum was a publically funded facility. Interesting huh. 

There were tributes to the dynastic teams from the 20's through today primarily by decade  -- Packers , Bears, Packers, Dolphins, Steelers, 49ers, Cowboys, Patriots, etc. There were also video highlights of top running backs, receivers, QBs, coaches, etc.  I forgot Emlen Tunnell was a Dback for the Giants  1948-62 and retired with the INT record of 79!!!! It has since been surpassed by Paul Krauses' 81 but WOW. 

And I learned there was at least one Hack Wilson type record in NFL too.  Ernie Nevers scored 40 pts in ONE game in for the 1929 Chicago Cardinals against the Chicago Bears.  It is the OLDEST record in NFL.  Ernie also went on to pitch for the St Louis Browns --- the first Bo Jackson???

Posted by Bruce Lehr June 15th 2013

Cliff Notes for the Opera Challenged

I just wrote about Il Tabaroo and Pagliacci.  In the latter, I referred to the aria Vesti la Giubba (Ridi Pagliaccio).  Now, if you are reading this blog.  You are likely one of my friends and don't know a damned thing about opera.  But you will have heard some opera music from two reknowned Amercian resources - TV commercials and cartoons.  How can you have either without an opera?

I think most of my friends would have been exposed to Ridi Pagliaccio beacuse they used to watch great classics like Scooby Doo on Saturday mornings (this is certainly true of those types who've settled in NE PA).  As such, they will have seen countless cereal commercials.  Vesti la Giubba is much better known to them as the jingle from No More Rice Krispies.

 

This is not the only ad or cartoon to abuse opera.  But it is one of the classic ads.  Here's how the aria should sound when Luciano Pavarotti does the honors.

 

 You can think me for bringing some culture into your life.

Posted by Bruce Lehr June 2nd 2013.

 

Da Vinci Machines II - BOA Building

I recently caught the Da Vinci Machines Exhibit.  It's being shown in the Bank of America building at 800 Market Street and has been extended through August 2013.  The Exhibit is a celebration of Leonardo Da Vinci's genius and focuses explicitly on the many machines that he invented (conceived) in his very productive lifetime.

It turns out that Da Vinci started out life exploiting his skills in the design and engineering of military items to earn his early living.  This included both offensive and defensive weaponry and devices which he offered to the Noble families of the day -- because they of course had all the money. 

Leonardo could rely on this money making means at many times during his lifetime -- assuming he could find a patron -- and even worked briefly during 1502-03 for Cesare Borgia (Francois Arnaud if you are a fan of the Showtime series). He even apparently met Machiavelli through Borgias and was aided by the former in gaining a commission to paint the Battle of Anghiari (the so-called Lost Leonardo). The Exhibit shows a depicition of this lost painting that was supposedly walled over by its sponsor as it depicted war in too realistic fashion instead of the more glorious depictions popular at the time.

Regardless, the exhibit focuses on the machines. And what machines! Leonardo conceived of tanks, rotating gun-turreted battleships, siege ladders, parachutes, helicopters and much more -- if he only had engines and more modern strong, lightweight materials than much of his designs couldhave been built and may have worked well. Too bad. Only some desings were really possible to make in a Renaissance time. 

 

 
The rest of the Exhibit shows reproduction of a few of his famous paintings, aka Mona, but mainly shows the many inventions that Leonard contributed to modern technology, e.g. the flywheel and more.

Da Vinci Machines II is well worth seeing for the history buff, miltary buff, invention liker, engineers, and even art.  It is a well constructed exhibit space with enough room to move but not too much walking.  I went on the guided tour (about 40 minutes) which is well worth it if you are near a tour time.  There is also a video on Leonardo's life at tours end -- it may have been good but the audio/visual needs some work -- particularly the sound system.  It was difficult to hear which is a problem with an education piece.

I urge you to GO while it is in town.

Posted by Bruce Lehr Apr 28th 2013.