Beauty is in the heart… Pure emotions brought out on canvas

by times news cr

2024-05-06 06:07:47

Agnes Martin Special Exhibition ‘Moments of Perfection’
Gangneung Solol Art Museum introduces 54 items for the first time in Korea
Guest Curator Maurice “Spiritual Encounter”
The documentary film ‘Turn Your Back on the World’ is also attracting attention.

‘Untitled’, a 1955 painting by painter Agnes Martin. Unlike Martin’s representative works, it attracts attention by revealing various forms. This is an early work influenced by Asil Gorky and Mark Rothko, representative abstract expressionist artists of the 1950s in the United States. Provided by Solol Art Museum. ⓒ Estate of Agnes Martin Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York-SACK, Seoul

Painter Agnes Martin (1912-2004) picked roses from the garden and showed them to the granddaughter of her close friend, Anne Glimsher, president of the Face Gallery, when she visited her. When Martin asked, “Is this rose beautiful?” the child said, “Yes.” Martin then took the rose behind his back, hid it, and asked again. “Are those roses still beautiful?”

President Glimshire shared an anecdote with Martin during his lifetime in his biography and recalled, “Martin showed that beauty is not on the outside but in our hearts, and that objects, including roses, are devices that bring out beauty in the heart.”

The work of artist Martin, who expressed the pure emotions that arise in the heart on canvas through abstract paintings, came to Korea. This is through the second special exhibition ‘Agnes Martin: Moments of Perfection’ at the Solol Art Museum in Gangneung, Gangwon-do, which opened on February 14th.

● Morris as guest curator

Beauty is in the heart…  Pure emotions brought out on canvasFrancis Morris, former director of Tate Modern in England, is the guest curator of the ‘Agnes Martin’ exhibition. Donga Ilbo DB”/>

Francis Morris, former director of Tate Modern in England, is the guest curator of the ‘Agnes Martin’ exhibition. Donga Ilbo DB

The ‘Agnes Martin’ exhibition, which opened on the 4th, introduces a total of 54 works, ranging from her early works in 1955 to works painted in Martin’s later years while she was living in a nursing home in the 1990s. This was Martin’s first solo exhibition at a museum in Korea, and Francis Morris, former director of Tate Modern in England, served as guest curator and attracted attention from the art world.

At a press conference on the 3rd, former director Morris said, “I was asked to take on the role of curator two years ago, and I was surprised to hear that Martin’s work had never been introduced in Korea. I was interested in being able to introduce it to a new audience for the first time.” said. He added, “Martin left behind numerous works. He explained, “I couldn’t hold a retrospective, so I focused on selecting and showing important moments,” adding, “That’s why I titled the exhibition ‘Moments of Perfection.’” As he said, it is a small exhibition held in the museum’s two galleries, exhibition rooms 2 and 3, so it is an exhibition that allows you to ‘taste’ the changes in Martin’s work world.

● ‘Turn your back on the world’ documentary look

Upon entering the exhibition hall, the works ‘Untitled’ from 1955 and 1957 are the first thing that greets the audience. Martin is well known for his geometric abstractions, and these works, unlike his masterpieces, are reminiscent of abstract expressionist painters of the 1950s, such as Mark Rothko and Asil Gorky. Morris explained, “It is a trace of exploring the origins of abstract works such as Abstract Expressionism and Informel.”

Then, in works such as ‘Trees’ in 1964 and ‘On a Clear Day’ in 1973, the curves completely disappear and only vertical and horizontal lines appear, turning into geometric abstractions. Afterwards, in the largest space of Exhibition Room 2, eight monochromatic works consisting only of gray are hung. The final exhibition room 3 introduces eight works from the ‘Pure Love’ series, depicting images that came to mind while quietly meditating while staying in a nursing home.

Morris said, “Martin was inspired by Zen Buddhism and Taoist philosophy when he was making art while attending Columbia University in New York, USA. Traces of this can be found in expressing the images that come to mind in solitude and silence with restrained colors and lines.” “He explained. At the same time, “Martin, who was interested in spiritual matters, wanted to reveal his rich emotions. “He considered himself a ‘maximalist’ rather than a minimalist,” he added.

You can see more of Martin’s life in the documentary film ‘Turn Your Back on the World’, which is shown in the seminar room. It was created by director Mary Lance in 2002 after visiting Martin’s studio, allowing you to take a closer look at Martin’s paintings and his thoughts. Along with Martin’s exhibition, a solo exhibition by Korean artist Jeong Sang-hwa will also be held in Exhibition Room 1. Until August 25th.


Reporter Kim Min [email protected]

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2024-05-06 06:07:47

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