Friday SLAM

Having recently seen At Eternity’s Gate at the Frontenac Landmark movie theater in which actor Willem Dafoe plays Vincent van Gogh in Julian Schnabel’s movie, I am stoked to join my docent colleagues and reflect a bit about art in general. I find myself walking the galleries of the Saint Louis Art Museum with fellow docents from Laumeier Sculpture Park guided by Barb Gervais. Barb is a rare entity serving as docent for both regional art institutions. She sets a wonderful tone for our group. On this chilly late November morning our mission is ostensibly to tour sculptural highlights at SLAM. However, today we opt out of strolling the sculpture garden and save this treat for another day when the weather is more accommodating. (It’s okay by me, since I could not resist using my early arrival to visit this remarkable collection of works outside. Aristide Maillol is a personal favorite.)

Our indoor highlights allowed us ample time to reflect on sculpture by Degas, Giacometti, Arman, Judd, Flavin, and many brief sidebar exchanges. We made time to view the Kehinde Wiley exhibition of large-scale contemporary oil paintings of African American subjects. The works here  recall the grand tradition of European and American portraiture. Models are real people from our region (including Yvonne Osei who was recently featured in the Fine Arts Building at Laumeier). Wiley’s art addresses politics of race and power.

Brunch at the Panorama restaurant overlooking Forest Park was hosted by our waiter, Anthony who could not have been more pleasant (even as we requested separate checks). Naturally every serving of themselves were individual works of culinary art. Being the art junky that I am, I could not resist a second helping of the Graphic Revolution exhibition. (Rauchenberg, Warhol, Oldenberg, LeWitt, Lichtenstein are familiar friends of mine.) Graphic Revolution: American Prints 1960 to Now examines the transformational decade of the 1960s through the early 21st century, and the emergence of the creative synergies between the artists, publishers, printers, dealers, and collectors.

Overall a lovely way to spend a Friday in which I played hooky on November 30, 2018. Thanks to Kathy H. for arranging.