Fragments from the Future
Aspects of Modernism in the Kerry Stokes Collection
Mining Hall of Fame
Goldfields Highway Kalgoorlie
2 May – 28 June 2009
This exhibition looks at the period of Modernism from 1890 up until the 1960s, working with the assumption that it remained a vital force through this period, not yet fully tamed by institutional acceptance. Modernism can be seen as a vision of the future and at other times, a rebuttal of that position. This exhibition incorporates many forms of Modernism around this central idea of an avant-garde movement.
At best, even the most comprehensive art collections can only be made up of fragments. Although the ideals that fuelled the Modernism may have had their day, the artworks remain with us like fragments of that future vision. This exhibition engages with the spirit of Modernism and embraces the excitement of new possibilities particularly in Early Modernism, and how this spirit was translated internationally, through the 20 century.
Exactly where Modernism started is a matter of debate, but the Impressionists had reintroduced the idea of painting that was more like a plane of light or coloured patches than a perfectly blended and seamless illusion. It was these colourful and interesting surfaces that appealed to a younger generation of artists like Pierre Bonnard and Henri Matisse. Although the Impressionists’ goals were a form of extended realism, the paintings they made suggested a kind of abstraction. This helped lead to a conceptual element gaining greater emphasis in the way artists approached their work.
The exhibition has an international reach and incorporates many excellent examples of Australian art. They are presented without apology for their historical “lateness” as is often the case with Australian art; instead they are simply considered as part the common appearance of Modernism in our visual culture.
The works have been selected with the schools or periods in mind and again this is more a matter of convenience than an iron rule, as some artists drift in and out of any form of strict categorization. The following broad areas have been considered: Early Modernism, Cubism, Expressionism, Surrealism, Abstraction and Constructivism and Late Modernism.
Some the artists included in this exhibition are:
Fernand LÉGER, Pablo PICASSO, Ian FAIRWEATHER,
Pierre BONNARD, Kathleen O'CONNOR, Margaret PRESTON, Henri de TOULOUSE LAUTREC,
John PERCEVAL, Joy HESTER, Arthur BOYD, Yosl BERGNER, Jean DUBUFFET,
Paul KLEE, James GLEESON, Adrian FEINT
Howard TAYLOR, Kenneth NOLAND, Richard LARTER, David HOCKNEY
It is commonly thought that by the 1970s’ Modernism had ceased to be an idea about the future and became part of mainstream culture. The legacy of Modernism can be seen in design, perfect kitchens and the mainstream values of Ikea. The current preoccupation with high definition digital realism has left the sometimes rough and unconventional imaginings of Modernism somewhere off to the side. Fragments from the Future: Aspects of Modernism in the Kerry Stokes Collection is an exhibition that re-investigates the imaginative force of Modernism.
Kevin Robertson, Kerry Stokes Collection
Curator’s Perspective Floor Talk by Kevin Robertson Saturday 2 May at 10.30am
Mining Hall of Fame Open Day Sunday 3 May
Aspects of Modernism in the Kerry Stokes Collection
Mining Hall of Fame
Goldfields Highway Kalgoorlie
2 May – 28 June 2009
This exhibition looks at the period of Modernism from 1890 up until the 1960s, working with the assumption that it remained a vital force through this period, not yet fully tamed by institutional acceptance. Modernism can be seen as a vision of the future and at other times, a rebuttal of that position. This exhibition incorporates many forms of Modernism around this central idea of an avant-garde movement.
At best, even the most comprehensive art collections can only be made up of fragments. Although the ideals that fuelled the Modernism may have had their day, the artworks remain with us like fragments of that future vision. This exhibition engages with the spirit of Modernism and embraces the excitement of new possibilities particularly in Early Modernism, and how this spirit was translated internationally, through the 20 century.
Exactly where Modernism started is a matter of debate, but the Impressionists had reintroduced the idea of painting that was more like a plane of light or coloured patches than a perfectly blended and seamless illusion. It was these colourful and interesting surfaces that appealed to a younger generation of artists like Pierre Bonnard and Henri Matisse. Although the Impressionists’ goals were a form of extended realism, the paintings they made suggested a kind of abstraction. This helped lead to a conceptual element gaining greater emphasis in the way artists approached their work.
The exhibition has an international reach and incorporates many excellent examples of Australian art. They are presented without apology for their historical “lateness” as is often the case with Australian art; instead they are simply considered as part the common appearance of Modernism in our visual culture.
The works have been selected with the schools or periods in mind and again this is more a matter of convenience than an iron rule, as some artists drift in and out of any form of strict categorization. The following broad areas have been considered: Early Modernism, Cubism, Expressionism, Surrealism, Abstraction and Constructivism and Late Modernism.
Some the artists included in this exhibition are:
Fernand LÉGER, Pablo PICASSO, Ian FAIRWEATHER,
Pierre BONNARD, Kathleen O'CONNOR, Margaret PRESTON, Henri de TOULOUSE LAUTREC,
John PERCEVAL, Joy HESTER, Arthur BOYD, Yosl BERGNER, Jean DUBUFFET,
Paul KLEE, James GLEESON, Adrian FEINT
Howard TAYLOR, Kenneth NOLAND, Richard LARTER, David HOCKNEY
It is commonly thought that by the 1970s’ Modernism had ceased to be an idea about the future and became part of mainstream culture. The legacy of Modernism can be seen in design, perfect kitchens and the mainstream values of Ikea. The current preoccupation with high definition digital realism has left the sometimes rough and unconventional imaginings of Modernism somewhere off to the side. Fragments from the Future: Aspects of Modernism in the Kerry Stokes Collection is an exhibition that re-investigates the imaginative force of Modernism.
Kevin Robertson, Kerry Stokes Collection
Curator’s Perspective Floor Talk by Kevin Robertson Saturday 2 May at 10.30am
Mining Hall of Fame Open Day Sunday 3 May
posted by Kevin Robertson at 4:04 PM
0 comments
