Saint Louis Art Museum to open The Immediate Touch: German, Austrian & Swiss Drawings |
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| Saturday, 03 May 2008 04:24 |
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Saint Louis, MO - The Saint Louis Art Museum announces the June 29 opening of The Immediate Touch: German, Austrian and Swiss Drawings from St. Louis Collections, 1946–2007, an exhibition of more than 120 provocative works of art created after World War II by 37 German speaking artists. Featuring works by such influential artists as Georg Baselitz, Joseph Beuys, Hanne Darboven, Anselm Kiefer, Blinky Palermo, Sigmar Polke, Arnulf Rainer, A. R. Penck, Gerhard Richter and Dieter Roth. The exhibition also includes private explorations into the aesthetics of the drawn line, preparatory sketches for sculptures and highly finished works that are the size and scale of large contemporary paintings.  “Drawings demonstrate how the drawn line of the artist is the most immediate and spontaneous rendering of the artist’s initial feelings and conceptions,” said Francesca Herndon-Consagra, curator of prints, drawings and photographs. “The drawn line, connected to an artist’s nervous system and energy, acts like a seismograph. It springs from within, moves down the arm into the fingers and begins its dance across the page.”Selected largely from the Museum’s collection and local private collections, these works reveal the foresight of St. Louis collectors. Under the stewardship of a group of perceptive art collectors, directors and curators, St. Louis has become a gathering place for important works by both internationally known artists and artists who until very recently have gone largely unnoticed by the mainstream art market. “The works of art in this exhibition are varied but all display a particular intensity and energy that is truly affecting,” said Herndon-Consagra. “These individuals use their artistic talents not only to address such forces as death, politics, spirituality and social change, but also to explore and expand ideas about aesthetics and art making. Some of the works may be described as haunting and passionate, while others are humorous and whimsical.” Of the 32 living artists featured in the exhibition, 25 -LOW-RES.jpg "A. R. Penck, German, born 1939 Untitled (Self-portrait) , 1981 Watercolor on paper; 15 7/8 x 11 1/2 in Lent by Mrs. Barbara Eagleton in memory of her husband the Honorable Thomas F. Eagleton") were interviewed by Sydney Norton, a researcher in the department of prints, drawings and photographs at the Saint Louis Art Museum. Norton traveled to Germany, Austria and Switzerland to personally speak with these artists, documenting the personal stories behind their works. The Museum has written and produced a catalogue that incorporates this intensive research. The publication will be available in the Saint Louis Art Museum Shop in June.Curated by Francesca Herndon-Consagra, curator of prints, drawings and photographs, with the assistance of Sydney Norton, researcher, The Immediate Touch: German, Austrian and Swiss Drawings from St. Louis Collections, 1946–2007, will be on view through September 7, 2008 in the Museum’s Main Exhibition Galleries. The Saint Louis Art Museum is one of the nation's leading comprehensive art museums with collections that include works of art of exceptional quality from virtually every culture and time period. Areas of notable depth include Oceanic art, pre-Columbian art, ancient Chinese bronzes and European and American art of the late 19th and 20th centuries, with particular strength in 20th-century German art. The Museum offers a full range of exhibitions and educational programming generated independently and in collaboration with local, national and international partners. Admission to the Saint Louis Art Museum is free to all every day; featured exhibition admission is free on Fridays. For more information about the Saint Louis Art Museum, call 314.721.0072 or visit www.slam.org . Click on logo below to add this article to your favorite Social Website ~ |
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