Peggy Bacon (American, 1895-1987) Lamentable Lunch, 1952, Gouache on paper, 7 . x 5 in. Gift of Anne M. Farr, 1997.7 This small work by American artist Peggy Bacon (1895-1987) has always intrigued me. The distinctive features of the man’s…
Einar and Jamex were born in Guadalajara, Mexico in 1963 and 1960 respectively. They moved to the U.S. at a young age and attended school in California, where eventually they studied art and discovered their passion for glassmaking. Currently, the artists live and work on both sides of the US-Mexico border with homes and studios in Ensenada and San Diego. Attuned to their experiences and surroundings, their artistic vision is informed by their experiences as Border artists whose identity is neither exclusively Mexican nor American, but instead enriched by both. The complexities of identity are at the core of the brothers’ creations; symbolism, history and humor are often the avenues they employ to examine them.
Grosz lived in Europe during the First World War and experienced chaos and political upheaval before he emigrated to the United States in 1933. His work is characterized by bold criticism of the political class and military officials, and a pessimistic view of society; he had joined the rebellious Dada movement in Berlin in 1918 and later, together with artists Otto Dix (1891-1969) and Max Beckmann (1884-1950), they became known as Neue Sachlichkeit or New Objectivity. During the Second World War Grosz lived in New York where he taught at the Art Students League. His encounter with the metropolis is documented in numerous works from the 1940s, which focus on various aspects of the city. The war altered life in New York with many institutions temporarily transforming their facilities to accommodate production for the war effort and implementing the dimming of neon signs and lights to avoid potential enemy attacks.
Daniel Lind-Ramos (Puerto Rican, b. 1953), Vencedor: 1797 (Victorius: 1797), 2018-2019, Mixed media, 67 x 70 x 33 in. The Alfond Collection of Contemporary Art at Rollins College, Gift of Barbara ’68 and Theodore ’68 Alfond. 2020.1.1 ©Daniel Lind-Ramos The sculpture Vencedor: 1797 was…
Carmen Herrera (Cuban, 1915-2022), Untitled, 2013, Acrylic on canvas, 72 3/64 x 36 7/32 in. The Alfond Collection of Contemporary Art at Rollins College, Gift of Barbara ’68 and Theodore ’68 Alfond, 2014.1.32. © Carmen Herrera. Image courtesy of the artist and Lisson Gallery, London,…
I recently read Jennifer Egan’s historical novel Manhattan Beach, a noir thriller that transported me to New York during World War II. The main character, Anna Kerrigan, comes of age at a time when the country grappled with war abroad and its effects at home. Resilient and determined, Anna works at the Brooklyn Naval Yard as a diver repairing ships. The rich descriptions of the naval yard, the city streets, and the dark, smoky nightclubs, paint a vivid picture of the context in which she lived and worked. Newspapers reported on the war in Europe, and she learned of individuals’ experiences through letters and friends’ accounts. While reading, I thought about how young women experienced the city at this historical moment.
Engaging with art in challenging situations can provide respite and solace and remind us to find joy and beauty in basic things we often take for granted. As the new year unfolds and presents us with unexpected questions to consider and new goals to pursue, once again, I turn to art. It seems that for Bolotowsky, abstract art provided the order and balance needed in a historical moment that saw enormous socio-political changes as well as defining shifts in the art world.
A small work by Frida Kahlo (Mexico, July 6, 1907–July 13, 1954) in the exhibition Mexican Modernity: 20th Century Paintings from the Zapanta Collection encapsulates so much meaning, and yet it looks so simple that it is easy to understate its historical significance. The two-sided drawing Por la Paz (For Peace) created in 1952…
By MacKenzie Moon Ryan, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Art History and Gisela Carbonell, Ph.D., Curator. Last fall, the Cornell Fine Arts Museum worked closely with Dr. MacKenzie Moon Ryan, Assistant Professor of Art History at Rollins, and her ARH 404…
On January 6, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered the State of the Union Address to Congress amid a highly charged international political climate. Commonly known as the Four Freedoms speech, the address became a statement to the core values…
