MFA Life

Joe and I hit the MFA yesterday for the shows, Matisse in the Studio and Botticelli and the Search for the Divine. Now, not too many of Botticelli’s paintings trip my trigger but, hell and damnation, I do enjoy his lyricism.

The show included a death mask of Botticelli’s big sponsor – Lorenzo the Magnificent, AKA Lorenzo de’ Medici. Dude was a handsome cuss, no?

On to the jampacked Matisse exhibit. I really hate viewing art in a crowd – there’s this constant pressure to look quick and move along. I’ve no prob doing that with a lot of work but when I find something that hits me hard, I want to stand close up and swim in the lines, brushstrokes and colors.

My takeaway from this exhibit? Though the vibrant pigments and loose strokes thrill me, I think I like Matisse’s sculpture more. Look at Jeanette V – the strength of the form, the rawness of his “brushstroke,” the humanity revealed – oh yeah, baby!

Also too, I also have MONDO studio envy. Just look at that spectacular window! (below)

From Matisse, Joe and I moved on to visit some of my old faves. On the way, we came upon José Clemente Orozco’s lithograph, Manos. Love this. What are the hands holding? Swirling dust? The cosmos? Life? Simple and riveting.

I said hi to the gorgeous Lachaise who is, tragically, flat assed. Beckmann's Still Life with Three Skulls never fails to make me grin madly. Botero's Venus has a magnificent dignity. Hyman Bloom's Female Corpse, Back View – what can I say? Yes, on one hand it's kind of icky-grisly but the colors, fabola impasto and flow really nail me. Yes, painting of a corpse but such a beautiful representation!

We also breezed rapidamente through the Enchanted Land exhibit. More than the work (love the colors but the lines, forms and general execution leaves me in Cold City), what put me off was the legend on the wall telling of how the work expressed “the great ideals of Indian culture” – manly men (or words to that effect) and beautiful shy women. Oh, fuck you.

Afterwards, we hit Symphony Sushi  (located behind Symphony Hall) for lunch. Holy motherfucking WOW. I have only the faintest idea of what Joe ordered – noodles and two different sushi dishes – they were aSTOUNDING! (more please!)

While swooning and rapturizing over the grub, I noticed something fun – the restaurant’s name is spelled out in the font, Matisse. Awesome!

Upcoming at the MFA? The Summer of Love: Photography and Graphic Design. PSYCHED! Günther Kieser’s brill posters at Berlin’s Bröhan-Museum really grabbed me by the soul and spoke deep, seductive words of LIFE, EXISTENCE, FREEDOM. Wes Wilson and Victor Moscoso’s stuff is more in a swirly, hippy-happy vein but still, they speak to me. Loudly.

I’m so looking forward to this show.