Albright-Knox Visit #1

March 03, 2019

Albright-Knox Visit #1

The artworks that had the biggest impact on me were The Marvelous Sauce and Convergence, each for completely different reasons. With The Marvelous Sauce, I love the realistic nature of the painting and superb attention to lighting detail because it inspires me to want to paint in the same style. The Marvelous Sauce reminds me of Norman Rockwell’s style, which I wish I could emulate. Also, the ornate gold frame that the painting is in could be its own artwork since it is so beautifully intricate.

Convergence, on the other hand, made such an impression on me because I never knew it was so huge. Standing under the painting is so much different than seeing it in a textbook, which is when I realized how important it is to see artwork in a gallery, in person. As I stood noticing the irregularity of the paint drips, I realized that the painting is full of energy because of its erratic lines flowing in every direction. I am starting to appreciate non-representational art and Convergence helps me to see what is so interesting about abandoning realism.

Orange and Yellow is another non-representational artwork which towers over me and one which I feel a connection to. Some of the colors in Orange and Yellow are what I used when creating my logo because of the warm, upbeat feeling that they inspire in me. When I look at this painting, all I can feel is optimistic, which is why it resonates with me.

Mademoiselle Pogany II is another artwork that I feel a connection with because of its beautiful, golden curves, which inspire an upbeat feeling in me, similar to Orange and Yellow. It looks like an abstraction of a woman that has stripped away all details except the soft curves and long eye lashes, but it could just as easily be a bird of some kind. I am not sure what the back of it represents, but the arcs in the shape could be hair, or even feathers. I know that this sculpture is of a woman, but I am intrigued by the abstraction to the point that it resembles a sleek bird.

Picasso’s Nude Figure is confusing to me because I cannot figure out what lines represent what parts of the nude, but that is also what makes me curious to know more about it. I know that he was one of the creators of Cubism, but I would like to know more about the movement because of how influential it was on the world of abstract art. Non-representational art is something that I am starting to be open to because I have always felt that it was not art; I am learning, however, that realism is only one of many genres within the world of art, and it is not what defines art. Also, I would like to know why Nude Figure is so dark.

By far the most intriguing artwork that I experienced at the Albright-Knox (though I only stayed on the first floor for this visit), was Magritte’s La Voix des airs (The Voice of Space). I am a fan of science fiction and this painting looks like it comes straight out of Star Wars dream. I am learning about the Surrealists and I am also very intrigued by their exploration of the subconscious and dreams. I am not sure what is going on in La Voix des airs (The Voice of Space), but I think it is interesting, nonetheless. Are the orbs taking off into space or are they just hovering? Is this a nightscape in the mountains or some strange dream? The painting purposefully does not answer these questions, leaving me to wonder, which is why I am so intrigued by it.

References

1) Jehan Georges Vibert

French, 1840-1902

The Marvelous Sauce, ca. 1890

oil on wood panel

support: 25 3/16 x 31 15/16 inches (63.98 x 81.12 cm); framed: 40 x 47 x 5 inches (101.6 x 119.38 x 12.7 cm)