Written by Alice McClintock and Evan McMurtry Alice's Perspective Evan and I ventured last weekend with some friends to see the AGO’s popular exhibition Mystical Landscapes: Masterpieces from Monet, Van Gogh, and More. Featuring works of several renowned artists, Monet, Gauguin, Van Gogh, and Munch, just to name a few, the exhibition also includes work by lesser-known artists, including Charles Marie Dulac and Henri le Sinader. What informs the central narrative of the exhibition is a discussion of the turn of the century artists’ interactions with mysticism, involving meditation and spiritual connection with the infinite. I enjoyed this exhibition; the AGO has brought together a host of incredible artworks. While drawing visitors in with a focus on “celebrity” artists like Van Gogh and Monet, there was equal representation for lesser known but equally captivating artists. Each piece was given pride of place, there was a clearly defined path through the exhibition, and the artworks were given enough weight visually. Even though the exhibition resurrects fin de siècle art, the theme itself is topical. Mystical experiences in this time were a way to reconnect with the spiritual in an increasing industrialized and war-torn world. Monet painted the Rouen Cathedral many times over in different light, and did the same with his famous Water Liles (Nymphaes) after long meditation in his Japanese garden. Lawren Harris painted northern Canadian landscapes many times over to capture their beauty and majesty. We are seeing a shift in the way in which people interact with spirituality in an increasingly secularized world. There is much more focus on the individual experience in both formal religion and other settings. What Mystical Landscapes explores is the highly individual mystical experiences of the artists featured. This is reflected in the individual styles of each painter, and each one is as valid as another. Evan's Perspective I share Alice’s viewpoint that Mystical Landscapes is a successful exhibition that does a nice job bringing forward some of the lesser known artists of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. My favourite is the work of Paul Serusier, the avant garde artist who was crucial to the Post-Impressionist movement. Furthermore, there are many Canadian artists represented here, which reflects recent interest by the art market. And, moreover, there are some underrepresented women artists here; I had never seen so many paintings by Georgia O’Keeffe together in one place. That being said, this is by definition a blockbuster exhibition. There are some major artworks by some major artists represented here, such as Vision of the Sermon (Jacob Wrestling with the Angel) by Paul Gauguin. This painting is reproduced in many art history textbooks as a classic Post-Impressionist example of casting aside conventional use of perspective and colour. I also agree that the exhibition is topical and has popular appeal. Some of the artworks could have merited an exhibition on Post-Impressionism, for instance, but considering that most people - myself included - are unsure of what Post-Impressionism actually is, such an exhibition would not draw such a broad audience. Spirituality and mysticism hold a deeper meaning for most people, which I believe happens whenever individuals cultivate sensory awareness. The common conception is that artists are on the vanguard of spirituality and with the rest of us consumed with the business of our daily lives the only way that we can transcend the material condition of life is by appreciating art. The common critique of blockbuster exhibitions is that they eschew a scholarly approach in favour of ‘postcard’ art that is more likely to attract enough visitors to gain admission and concession sales. Judging by the droves of visitors attending Mystical Landscapes to see both major art and not-so-major art, it would seem that art museums can and do succeed by tapping into themes that are universal. We found the exhibition to be enjoyable and thought-provoking, bringing together a diverse selection of art. The AGO and its partner institutions mounted a very successful exhibition that gives visitors both broad strokes and intimate understanding of the Impressionist and mystical movements. The exhibition runs at the AGO until February 12th, and is a timed-ticketed event. Get your tickets at: http://www.ago.net/mystical-landscapes.
1 Comment
1/26/2017 02:04:59 am
I very much appreciated both of your views (no pun intended) on this exhibit. I will try to get to it. Thanks.
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