When the NY Times came out with their special supplement of upcoming art shows, I made a wish list. At the top of the list were two shows, the
Mark Rothko retrospective at the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston and the
Giorgio Morandi show at the
Center of Italian Modern Art in New York City. Then a friend contacted me about cheap flights to NYC to visit a friend (free accommodations!) which morphed into a girls' trip (4 of us) and voila! A long weekend with good friends to visit a good friend who happens to live one block from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
I bought tickets to the Morandi show which included a docent led tour of the work. The Center is located on the 4th floor (421 Broome Street) in a light filled Soho loft. We entered a pristine and modern gallery but before we could look at the art, we were ushered into their kitchen and were offered coffee or tea. So while it was a gallery, it wasn't your typical experience. We were meant to linger in this beautiful space.
 |
| Natura Morta (Still LIfe) 1955 |
Morandi is known for his still life paintings. All were done in oil except otherwise noted.
 |
| CIMA office and cardboard furniture |
 |
| CIMA office |
The woman who offered us our refreshment was also the visiting scholar doing a fellowship at CIMA! And now, some images from one of my favorite painters, Giorgio Morandi.
 |
| Autoritratto (self portrait) 1930 |
It must because it is the presidential election season, but the look on the self portrait reminds me very much of Donald Trump's scowl.
Morandi created still life oil paintings.
 |
| Il Cactus /Autoritratto (Cactus /Self Portrait) 1917/1919 |
 |
| Natura morta (still life) 1960 |
Here, they seemed like two figures posing.
He did landscapes...
 |
| Paesaggio (landscape) 1964 |
 |
| Natura mora (still life) 1963 |
 |
| Paesaggio (landscape) 1961 |
 |
| Natura morta (still life) 1929 |
His vases and bottles look like a family posing for a photo.
 |
| Natura morta (still life) 1928 |
 |
| Natura morta (still life) 1923 |
 |
| Paesaggio (landscape) 1936 |
 |
| Paesaggio (landscape) |
 |
| Natura morta (still life) 1931 |
 |
| Natura morta (still life) 1931 |
 |
| Natura morta (still life) 1931 |
 |
| Natura morta (still life) 1931 |
 |
| Fiori (flowers) 1917 |
A lovely painting photographed badly.
 |
Grande natura morta con caffettiera (large still life with coffee pot) 1933
etching |
He did etchings...
 |
Grande natura morta scura (large dark still life) 1934
etching |
 |
Natura morta a grandi segni (still life with large signs)
etching |
photo of his studio
 |
| view from the CIMA office |
I love seeing laundry hanging to dry especially in this urban setting.
He added a bit of color....
 |
| Natura morta (still life) 1938 |
 |
| Natura morta (still life) 1931 |
 |
| Natura morta (still life) 1931 |
 |
| Natura morta (still life) |
 |
| Natura morta (still life) 1938 |
 |
| Natura morta (still life) 1937 |
 |
| Natura morta (still life ) 1936 |
 |
| Natura morta (still life) 1939 |
 |
| Natura morta (still life) 1936 |
 |
| Natura morta (still life) 1932 |
It was a sublime show. And it was great to see this era of his work. I've seen his later work which from what I recall, was brighter.
 |
| his still life subjects |
The Giorgio Morandi exhibition is on through June 25, 2016. I brought my non-art friends and they found the experience enriching and educational. Plus they did a delicious espresso.
Comments