Tag: odalisque

Postcard from Malaga, Spain: Joining the flock grazing through art at the Pompidou

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Homage to Amnesty International

“Flock of Sheep,” Francois-Xavier Lalanne, 1965/1979, and “Model to the Third International,” a reconstruction of Vladimir Tatlin’s 1919-1920 monument made by Les Ateliers Longepe (Chatillon) in 1979 

The remodeled port area in Malaga is pristine. Probably particularly appealing to the crowds regurgitated from cruise ships who feel comforted by the familiar upscale chains that populate the waterfront mall.

Until 2015.

The City Council of Malaga took an incredibly bold step to enter into a contract with the Pompidou Center in Paris to open its first branch outside of France – Centre Pompidou Malaga. I have no idea whether the investment is paying off, but it’s a beautiful facility that mounts major exhibitions further enhancing Malaga’s strong reputation as a city of internationally important museums.

Of course, Malaga had a head start. It is the birthplace of Pablo Picasso (1881-1973). And you cannot take many steps through the city without bumping into a reminder of the fact.

“Marcel Says ‘Good Day’ To You,” Jean-Michel Alberola, 2002
painting on the left, “The Luncheon on the Grass,” Alain Jacquet, 1964
“N.Y.: 06:00 A.M.,” Frank Scurti, 1995-2000
“Everything Emanates from the Will of the People,” Jorg Immendorff, 1976
“Flock of Sheep,” Francois-Xavier Lalanne, 1965/1979, and “Characters and Birds in the Night,” Joan Miro, 1974
“Group of 13 (Homage to Amnesty International),” Eva Aeppli, 1968
“Flock of Sheep,” Francois-Xavier Lalanne, 1965/1979
“The Fall of Icarus,” Marc Chagall, 1974/1977
works by Henri Matisse
“Sense of Danger (The Running Man),” Kazimir Malevich, 1930-1931
Henri Matisse and his model, Henriette Darricarrere, about 1927
“Head of Montserrat Screaming,” Julio Gonzalez, 1942
“El Cubo,” Pompidou Centre
“Odalisque with Red Trousers,” Henri Matisse, 1921
“Spring,” Pablo Picasso, 1956
“The Prophet (Great Prophet),” Pablo Gargallo, 1933/1936
“Flock of Sheep,” Francois-Xavier Lalanne, 1965/1979, and “Model to the Third International,” a reconstruction of Vladimir Tatlin’s 1919-1920 monument made by Les Ateliers Longepe (Chatillon) in 1979
“The Prophet (Great Prophet),” Pablo Gargallo, 1933/1936,
Pompidou Centre
“The Old Lady of the Garden,” Frank Stella, 1986
“Model to the Third International,” a reconstruction of Vladimir Tatlin’s 1919-1920 monument made by Les Ateliers Longepe (Chatillon) in 1979

The museum is reputed to often attract crowds packed like sardines in a tin (apologies to Frank Scurti’s sardine-tin bed above). But we totally lucked out on our timing. Could relax and graze slowly gazing at the art (apologies also to Francois-Xavier Lalanne’s “Flock of Sheep,” evidently possessing good taste).

Truly felt like visiting a miniature Parisian Pompidou. Except luxuriously private and intimate.

Postcard from Bainbridge Island, Washington: Land of towering trees and boastful blossoms

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Hydrangeas

Dragoons, I tell you the white hydrangeas turn rust and go soon.
Already mid September a line of brown runs over them.
One sunset after another tracks the faces, the petals.
Waiting, they look over the fence for what way they go.

Carl Sandburg (1878-1967)

They say the blues symbolize frigidity and apology; although it seems a gift of a bouquet of them could be easily misunderstood. Pinks represent heartfelt emotion. Whites boastfulness or bragging, symbolizing the giver or receiver? Victorians considered all hydrangeas as symbolizing boastfulness, because each stalk was covered with so many blooms. There are mopheads, laceheads and panicles, and it seems Bainbridge Island has every kind.

Most of these photographs were snapped in the 150-acre Bloedel Reserve; although towering trees, lush greenery and flowers can be viewed in any direction one wanders on the island until stopped by water frontage.

Virginia (1902-1989) and Prentice (1900-1996) Bloedel accumulated much of their wealth from his family timber business centered in Vancouver. The couple purchased the estate in 1951 and transformed it into a botanical garden showcase. In 1970, the couple gifted the property to the University of Washington, but the university found the costs of upkeep prohibitive. So the Bloedels established a nonprofit, The Arbor Fund to purchase it and open it to the public.

Bloedel Reserve
Bloedel Resserve
Bloedel Resserve
Bloedel Resserve
Bloedel Reserve
Bloedel Resserve
Bloedel Resserve
Bloedel Reserve
Bloedel Resserve
Bloedel Resserve

The Bloedels were known for their art collection and their willingness to let their home and its grounds serve as a retreat for artists and writers. A son donated hundreds of the family’s paintings to the Whitney Museum of American Art and to Williams College Museum of Art.

Along the way, though, one of Bloedels’ paintings was mired in controversy. It turned out to be one of more than 160 paintings Nazis confiscated from a Paris art dealer, Paul Rosenberg, in 1941. According to an article by James R. Warren on History Link:

Most famous (or notorious) of the works of art collected by the Bloedels was Henri Matisse’s Odalisque, which they subsequently donated to the Seattle Art Museum. It was later discovered that, unbeknownst to the Bloedels or to the Museum, the painting had been looted by Nazis from its original Jewish owners. It was returned to their heirs in 1999.

Hosting artists also was not without its ups and downs. Poet Theodore Roethke (1908-1963), a Pulitzer Prize winner, was found floating face downward in the pool after mixing a batch of mint julips. The former family pool is now filled in to serve as a peaceful sand and rock garden in the Japanese Garden area of the reserve, complete with a Japanese-style guest house.

Deep in their roots, all flowers keep the light.

Theodore Roethke