By: James C. Kao
Whilst searching the online calendar of The Museum of Modern Art, I saw that on the third floor there was an exhibition relating modern art to mythologies, curated by Geaninne Gutierrez-Guimaraes and Luis Perez-Oramas. Being interested in the topic of mythologies (about this time last year I visited the exhibition “Mythologies” at Haunch of Venison in London and quite enjoyed it), I thought I should pay “The Modern Myth” a visit.
The first piece I saw was Wilfredo Lam’s Satan, which set the tone for the first of the exhibition’s three parts. The influences of Matisse and Picasso were evident in Lam’s drawing of a mythical figure depicted in a modern style. Bill Traylor’s Blue Snake was humorous; the drawing was simplistic and in contrast to other works in the exhibition. Moving into one of the first three galleries of the exhibit, I saw a drawing by Jess Collins, who referred to himself simply as “Jess.” This was eye-candy because of its beautiful figures (Narcissus was hot!) within an intricately rendered background. The pencil on linen was faint and required that I examine the drawing closer, savoring its details. The next drawing was by Jackson Pollock – Untitled c.1928-41. This was quite an interesting choice as I would not have immediately associated Pollock with myths, which usually are more related to narratives. The Pollock was unexpected, and it inspired me to search for its hidden connections to the rest of the show. The organic quality of the drawing reminded me of mythical monsters. The other pieces in this room were mostly direct references to classical mythology but in each artist’s own modern style.
The arrangements were well thought out: works of similar subjects and media were at times placed together but a few also spaced out. This purposeful lack of consistent grouping helped to string the whole show together by providing intermittent reminders. For example, Constantin Brancusi’s Study related to The First Step was reminiscent of Traylor’s work. In the second gallery, I immensely enjoyed a drawing by Max Ernst; his drawing made turned cellular processes into characters. Other drawings in the vicinity of Ernst also contained totems, which recalled the idea of mythical figures as well as religious and cultural artifacts.
Max Ernst, The Gramineous Bicycle Garnished with Bells the Dappled Fire Damps and the Echinoderms Bending the Spine to Look for Caresses, c. 1921, gouache, ink, and pencil on printed paper on paperboard. Photo by James C. Kao.
Continuing in the second gallery, I saw more Surrealist works as well as labels explaining why some of these drawings should be included. The explanation stated that the works were creating “personal cosmologies,” and although they lacked direct references to classical mythology, myth played a part in inspiring the artists’ imagined landscapes and worlds. I was not always convinced as I felt psychology had a stronger influence than mythology. Still, some pieces warranted my interest. Arshile Gorky’s Study for Summation and its scattered orifices created characters like Ernst and the others, but it was also funny in a carnivalesque kind of way.
The third gallery contained more works by contemporary artists. Christopher Knowles’ Untitled (Sunshine Superman) was a text work and referenced the modern myths of superheroes. Jim Shaw’s Dream Drawing linked back to the Surrealist works in the second gallery. In this gallery I also saw works by Matthew Barney, an obvious choice, given that he created his own new mythologies. There were two pieces by Barney; one included an image of a character from his Cremaster series. But it was the other, Stadium, which intrigued me more because it challenged my expectations of the artist’s works. It was neither a well-produced reproduction of an image from one of his films nor a large sculptural piece that was once used as a prop. Instead, it was a framed small drawing that resembled a schematic, and the ice packs on the plastic frame mirrored certain shapes in the drawing itself.
Matthew Barney, Stadium, 1991, pencil on paper with self-lubricating plastic frame with ice packs, Velcro, and thread. Photo by James C. Kao.
This show asks you to consider the concept of myth with works ranging from obvious to those that make you wonder “why is this here?” The curators attempted to answer this question several times with wall labels. Although I did not always agree with some of the stretches the curators made, I did like seeing many of the works and appreciated the spots of humor. If you are visiting MoMA and not already too exhausted from the special blockbusters of
The Modern Myth at The
The
Take the E or V train to
Museum Hours: Sat-Thurs, 10:30 – 5:30; F, 10:30 - 8:45
Museum website: www.moma.org
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