Description
The exhibition called The Steins Collect was held in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It ran from 28 February to 3 June. Visitors could see the collection of Gertrude Stein and her brothers Michael and Leo, who were famous art patrons. The collection includes the works of such avant-garde painters as Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Juan Gris and Francis Picabia (Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2012, unpaged). Apart from that, the guests could see the works of American and French sculptors. It should be noted that the exhibitions organized in the Metropolitan Museum of Art differ from each another in terms of style, cultural background, or historical period.
For example, one can mention the exhibitions of Dutch Renaissance paintings, Chinese drawings or even medieval chess figures. So, The Steins Collect could attract attention of many people who are interested in modernist art. Unfortunately, I could not attend this event in person, but I could view it online. Overall, when I was looking at these pictures, I thought that these artists wanted to show the inner world of a person, rather than his or her physical appearance. This is they tried to experiment with different colors which were supposed to reflect the feelings and emotions of an individual. They attempted invent a new artistic language and people can now look and appreciate their attempts. This was my initial expression.
Analysis
There are several things that unite these paintings, apart from the fact that they were collected by Gertrude Stein and her brothers. First of all, one can speak about artists’ biographical information. Their pictures were not appreciated by many of their contemporaries because they were opposed to conventional canons of art. Yet, nowadays the works of Picasso or Matisse are appreciated or even revered by art collectors, critics, and painters. To some degree, this exhibition demonstrates that art cannot be evaluated according to some objective criteria. It is practically impossible to determine whether the works of a painter will be viewed as masterpieces or mediocrity in the future. Moreover, one can suggest that ability to appreciate art is also a talent which is not possessed by every person. These are the most important messages that this exhibition conveys to the visitors.
Certainly, this exhibition is aimed showing the most distinctive features of avant-garde movement in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. However, it also emphasizes the role of the Steins family in promoting this art. They were instrumental in helping talented artists and sculptors whose works were not always recognized by critics (Mitrano, 2005, p. 19). This is one of the reasons why the sculpture of Gertrude Stein made by Jo Davidson was placed at the center of the exhibition hall. At first glance, it seems that Gertrude Stein is surrounded by all those painters whom she helped. This is how the elements of design were used to stress the idea that the success or failure of an artist is very much dependent on the ability of other people to understand and appreciate originality and talent.
The painters, whose works were exhibited, worked in different styles, for example, cubism, impressionism, or Dada. To some extent, they tried to depart from realistic description of life. One of the paintings can be singled out among others, namely the portrait of Gertrude Stein, painted by Pablo Picasso. It should be noted that this was one of the first portraits ever done by Picasso. At that time, he was very influenced by African and Iberian sculpture (Rowe, 2011, p. 35). This is why the face of Gertrude Stein slightly reminds a mask which is completely devoid of emotions. Such masks were often worn by members of African tribes. The painting shows that Picasso struggled to develop his own style without relying on previous artistic traditions. I cannot say that this portrait does not fit the exhibition; however, it combines the conventions of classical and modern painting. It stands on the borderline between these two canons. This is the quality that distinguishes it among others paintings which can be called modernist.
Evaluation
I cannot say that my impression of the exhibition changed after I learned more about the artists and their works. However, my research prompted me to pay more attention to the role of Gertrude Stein and her brothers. The thing is that they recognized the talent of Matisse, Gris, or Picasso, at the time when the majority of art critics did not accept their paintings as a true art. This is why I began to think not only about the techniques of Picasso or Matisse, but also about the changes in public opinion about their paintings.
The reviewed who wrote about this exhibition also focused on the importance of Gertrude Stein for creative work of these artists. For example, I can mention the article by Karen Rosenberg (2012) who shows how public attitude toward the painters has evolved in the course of the nineteenth century. In particular, she argues that many critics, who initially “came to mock” avant-garde artists, began to revere them (Rosenberg, 2012, unpaged). I can accept this argument because within approximately one hundred years the works of Picasso or Matisse turned into real classics. This author suggests that a true art collector should be able to follow one’s beliefs about art even if they contradict the dominant views of critics (Rosenberg, 2012, unpaged). Overall, I can fully agree with this idea.
It is quite difficult for me to make an aesthetic evaluation of the entire exhibition. The thing is that I did enjoy some of the painting, for instance, Woman with a Hat by Henri Matisse or Pablo Picasso’s Melancholy Woman. I liked these paintings because the artists were able to show the feelings of a person through the skillful use of color. For example, Picasso managed render all despondency and anxiety of the woman whose identity remains unknown to modern critics (Rowe, 2011, p. 80). However, I cannot say that I liked some of the still lives that were exhibited there. In my opinion, they were too abstract. Still, I do wish to see The Steins Collect in person.
On the whole, I think that the exhibition is conceptually engaging. It prompts people to reevaluate the notions of artistic canon, and the value of art. This is why I took interest in it. People should trust their own artistic sense, rather than rely on the opinions of others. Perhaps, this is one of the lessons that this exhibition was supposed to teach.
Reference List
Mitrano, G. (2005). Gertrude Stein: Woman Without Qualities. New York: Ashgate Publishing.
Rosenberg, K. (2012). A Movable Feast for the Eyes.The New York Times. Web
Rowe, J. (2011). Afterlives of Modernism: Liberalism, Transnationalism, and Political Critique. Lebanon: The University Press of New England.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art. (2012). The Steins Collect. Web.