Big Shaq Attack: “Size Does Matter” at The FLAG Art Foundation

When competing for the ever-shrinking entertainment dollar in this ever-struggling economy, art museums and galleries compete to find bigger and better gimmicks to catch the public eye. In the new exhibition Size Does Matter at The FLAG Art Foundation, they may have come up with the biggest gimmick yet—all 7’1” and 320 pounds of the one and only Shaquille O'Neal, basketball superstar and larger-than-life American icon. FLAG asked Shaq to curate a show with the theme of bigger (and sometimes smaller) is better. The results are surprisingly good. At the very least, FLAG has set a record for the biggest curator ever—one that may never be topped. Please come over to Picture This at Big Think to read more of "Big Shaq Attack."

[Many thanks to Roy for pointing out this big show to me.]

Knowing the Pain

Guillermo Núñez. Saber del dolor, 1967. Oil on canvas. 48 x 65 in. 123 x 158 cm.

For a country so full of flavor and life, Chile has known more than its share of sorrow and pain. Even before the overthrow of Salvador Allende in 1973, followed by decades of Augusto Pinochet’s reign of terror, Chile’s political landscape in the 1960s served as a battlefield. The artists of 1960s Chile sought to capture the feelings of their nation in a new style of modern art. As part of the Chile in Philly! celebration running through the end of November, selected works from the modern art collection of the Chilean Embassy demonstrate not only the talents of these modern Chilean artists, but also the vision of the Chilean government to collect such important works. Ambassador Radomiro Tomic began collecting modern Chilean art such as Guillermo Núñez’s Saber del dolor (above, from 1967) as Chile found itself “at the threshold of a polarized political confrontation that, like in almost every other Latin American country, ended in a long, dark period of dictatorship,” writes Mariano Fernández Amunátegui, current Ambassador of Chile to the United States, in the Foreword to the exhibition catalogue. Núñez, whose work translates to English as “Knowing the Pain,” studied in Europe before returning to his native Chile in 1968. In 1975, the Pinochet government forced Núñez into exile. Returning to Chile in 1987, Núñez knew firsthand the pain of Chile’s birth as a modern democracy and, like all the other artists featured in this exhibition, painted that pain in his own unique fashion. Núñez’s chopped limbs and garish red background illustrate the human cost of the birthing of Chile’s modern democracy.

Federico Assler. De la mano, 1963. Oil on canvas. 73 x 39 in. 185 x 99 cm.

As opposed to the macabre imagery of Núñez, Federico Assler paints in a more organic, unifying spirit, such as in De la mano (above, from 1963), which translates to English as “Hand in Hand.” The figure on the left glowing with a hopeful energy links hands with a darker, crimson figure on the right, perhaps transferring that power of hope to those in need. I’m tempted to see the influence of the Italian Futurists in Assler’s abstraction of spiritual electricity conducted through a simple gesture of touch. Assler taught sculpture as well as painting in Chile and influenced the course of cultural education in Chile during the 1960s. Assler’s many public murals spread across Chile bring art and culture to Chileans of all walks of life, democratizing the culture despite the best efforts of those who would keep such art and the hope it represents hidden.

Jose Balmes. Realidad Numero 14, 1963. Oil on plaster and tablex. 30 x 41 in. 78 x 106 cm.

José Balmes, perhaps the most important figure in modern Chilean art, is represented by several works in the exhibition, including Realidad Numero 14 (above, from 1963). In this work, which translates in English as “Reality Number 14,” Balmes clearly tries to translate the reality of Chilean life into art, layering plaster and tablex and covering it with oil paint into a three-dimensional work that confronts the viewer as it leaps from the wall. Balmes came to Chile in 1939 as a young refuge of the Spanish Civil War. After gaining Chilean citizenship, he married fellow artist Gracia Barrios, with whom he founded the Symbolism Group in the 1960s. A militant communist, Balmes fond himself exiled to Paris in 1973 until the late 1980s. Looking at Balmes work, you feel the weight of his life experiences piled up until they almost begin to weigh down your own heart.

Gracia Barrios. Figuracion, 1963. Oil on plaster and tablex. 49 x 31 in. 125 x 78 cm.

Gracia Barrios’s works mirror those of her husband in some ways thanks to their shared use of oil on plaster and tablex. Figuracion (above, from 1963) presents a faceless torso with the contours of the body etched into a thick black slab. Whereas Balmes’ work reaches out, Barrios Figuracion cuts in. Images of the work don’t do justice to the incisions in the dark surface. The facelessness of these torsos mirrors the facelessness of the Chilean masses subjected to the relentless shifts in the political winds as opposing forces vied for control. Although it predates the era of Pinochet’s program of “disappearing” people who opposed his will, Barrios’ Figuracion can easily stand in for those who vanished for their beliefs. In many respects, Barrios’ work reminds me of the dark, sculptural paintings of Anselm Kiefer, who tried to define the horror of Hitler’s Germany for the post-war generation. Barrios, however, defined that horror for her generation, as they actually experienced it.

Fortunately, as Ambassador Mariano Fernández Amunátegui writes in his Foreword, the “long night” that “lasted until the end of the 1980s.. finally gave way to the interesting democratic chapter in which Chile and its neighboring countries find themselves today.” The Chile in Philly! celebration, which includes a celebration of Chile’s food, wine, and cinema, presents the resiliency and vibrancy of Chilean culture. This selection of Chilean art from the tumultuous 1960s reminds us of the distance that Chile has come over the decades as a country and people and makes the joys of today seem all the sweeter. Take a moment to look back on this interesting chapter in Chilean art history as a lens through which to see the Chile of today comes into sharp, brilliant focus.


[Many thanks to Chile in Philly! for inviting me to the opening reception of this exhibition and for the images above. The exhibition continues through November 25, 2008 at the American Institute of Architects in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.]

The Alchemist

Just a few months old when his homeland of Germany finally surrendered and ended the European theater of World War II, Anselm Kiefer grew up consumed by the memories of the pain that had originated and ended in his native land. Born March 8, 1945, Kiefer continually reminds his country of the past that they wish would fade into the mists of time with works such as his Nuremberg (above, from 1980), which alludes to the Nuremberg trials that brought so many Nazi war criminals to justice. Kiefer followed his teacher Joseph Beuys (himself a German veteran of World War II) in incorporating unconventional materials, such as clay, straw, ash, and even lead, into his paintings, bringing a harsh reality to them that paint alone couldn’t achieve. From those ashes, Kiefer hoped to raise a phoenix of accountability and allow Germany finally to embrace its past and move on.

Kiefer’s works lack the raw confrontation aspect of his post-war contemporary Georg Baselitz, but exceed Baselitz’s critique of post-war Germany in their ability to cast up wartime memories in unforgettable ways. Kiefer’s The Milky Way (above, from 1985-1987) darkly reproduces the desolate, scorched earth policy practiced by the Nazis as they lost ground to the Allies and retreated deeper and deeper into Germany as World War II reached its end. In the foreground, Kiefer fills a gashed area with white paint—the “milky way” of the title. Above that horizontal white slash rests an actual lead funnel connected to lead wires that extend to the top of the painting. Kiefer found the ideas of alchemy fascinating, especially the possibility of turning lead into gold. Kiefer’s works aim at a similar transformation, dreaming of the day when the leaden weight of the Holocaust could become a golden opportunity for Germany to examine its past sins.

When I look at Kiefer’s sculpture Book With Wings (above, from 1992-1994), I can’t help but think of Wim Wenders' beautiful film, Wings of Desire. While so much of Kiefer’s art resembles the earth itself, this one creation of the air seems to provide pure hope. There’s an aching kind of lyricism to Book With Wings that Wings of Desire achieves in a different medium. The two works seem to pass in virtual space, with Wenders’ angel longing to be human and Kiefer’s humans longing to be angels. Like the novelist Gunter Grass, Kiefer has made many enemies in his homeland in those who would rather forget. In the face of such opposition, it would be easy to give up. Fortunately, Kiefer still dreams of being the alchemist of the German soul, turning base metal into something precious and pure.

A Living Classroom

Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Ruth and Raymond G. Perelman Building: Opening to the public on September 15, 2007, the building has been renovated and expanded by Gluckman Mayner Architects with new galleries and study centers. (Photo: Copyright David Heald)

“I’m pinching myself!” began Anne d’Harnoncourt, Director and CEO of the PMA at the press preview for the grand opening of the Ruth and Raymond G. Perelman Building (above), the exciting new addition to the PMA’s footprint. Perhaps the most exciting aspect of this new building is its educational emphasis. While announcing Wachovia’s generous offer to provide for free admission to the Perelman through the end of 2007, Bill Knott, Regional President of Wachovia, expressed Wachovia’s commitment to education and his wish to see the Perelman become “the biggest and best living classroom in Philadelphia.”

The Wachovia Educational Resource Center at the Perelman stands as a living testimony to this educational emphasis. The center provides educational materials that teachers can borrow to integrate their teaching plans with art history. As Steven Wills, Project Coordinator, Education Technology, in the PMA’s Division of Education, told me, “Art history is history… Mathematics, physics, you name it, any subject can be tied in to the arts.” Free wi-fi will allow teachers to bring in their laptops and plan class trips to the museum. The PMA’s Division of Education provides tours tailored to different grade levels that should instill an early love of art and an understanding of how integral art and culture are in a well-rounded life.

A view of the library reading room in the Perelman building, with bronze plaques by Paul Manship, representing the four elements. (Photo: Sahar Coston)

The PMA’s own library (above) of art books and periodicals now is more accessible to the public in the Perelman Building. Once relegated to the bowels of the old building, the library now sits on the second floor of the Perelman with spacious areas for visitors. As Ms. d’Harnoncourt eloquently stated in her remarks, “Nothing means more to the museum staff than having a connection with the public.” Between the Wachovia Educational Resource Center and the increased profile of the library, the PMA has taken great strides to connect with the Philadelphia community. Whether the community can meet them half-way is the true question.

Palette with Wings, 1985, Anselm Kiefer (German b., 1945). Lead, steel, tin: 110 1/4 x 137 3/4 x 39 3/8 inches. Purchased with funds contributed by Norman Braman and gift (by exchange) of Anna Warren Ingersoll, 1989

Of course, the greatest and most obvious connection the PMA makes with its surroundings is through its art works. The Perelman houses the Prints, Drawings, and Photographs and the Costumes and Textiles Departments. Three glorious galleries entered through the majestic Skylit Galleria will provide sorely needed exhibit space for these collections as well as for the furniture and design exhibits dwarfed previously in the main building. Another high-ceilinged mammoth exhibit space will provide space for works not shown in the main building due to space limitations. The inaugural exhibit for this hall, A Conversation in Three Dimensions: Sculpture from the Collections, takes full advantage of the cavernous area, showing off large works such as Anselm Kiefer’s Palette with Wings (above) and Sol LeWitt’s Splotch wonderfully.

Georgia O´Keeffe: A Portrait, 1918, Alfred Stieglitz (American, 1864 – 1946). Palladium print, Image: 9 9/16 x 7 11/16 inches. Gift of The Georgia O'Keeffe Foundation, 2003

The other inaugural exhibits show off their respective departments beautifully. The photography department reached back to their roots and pulled out their collection of photos by Alfred Stieglitz, a gift from his partner Georgia O’Keeffe, who appears in many of the images (an example is above). The costume department showcases three designers with Philadelphia connections in A Passion for Perfection, which examines the little black dress and beyond. Designing Modern: 1920 to the Present provides a quick overview of modern design and furniture from Art Deco to the Bauhaus to the Postmodern.

Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Ruth and Raymond G. Perelman Building: A dramatically torqued wall, clad in concrete brick, extends the length of the canted Skylit Galleria. Opposite is the original rear-facing exterior wall, preserved and integrated under the skylight with the new addition. The entrance lobby, original to the 1927 building, is seen at right, with its Deco fixtures, finishes and marble flooring. Opening to the public on September 15, 2007, the Perelman Building has been renovated and expanded by Gluckman Mayner Architects with new galleries and study centers. (Photo: Copyright David Heald)


The building itself is simply beautiful. The PMA chose to expand by adopting and repurposing a building built around the same time as their own building rather than create a new building from scratch. The architectural firm of Gluckman Mayner preserved many of the original Art Deco aspects of the original building and seamlessly folded in more modern elements. The Skylit Galleria (above) provides wonderful natural light and a sense of openness without the sterility of a venue such as the new MOMA, which veered too much in a minimalist direction in their redesign. As Richard Gluckman noted in his remarks, the Skylit Galleria exists for “circulatory and celebratory” reasons, acting as the heart of the Perelman and the clearest reflection of the warm, human, joyously celebratory spirit of the building. (For the Philadelphia Inquirer’s take on the Perelman’s architectural achievement, go here.)

Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Ruth and Raymond G. Perelman Building: A view from the first floor lobby through the rotunda to the expansive special exhibitions gallery. Opening to the public September 15, 2007, the Perelman Building has been renovated and expanded by Gluckman Mayner Architects with new galleries and study centers. (Photo: Copyright David Heald)

Walking around the building at the press preview, I could feel the electricity in the air. The enthusiasm of the staff was infectious. Here was a living museum in every aspect. I only wish that every museum-goer could share in that experience at that level of intensity. Getting to venture into the never-seen corners of the museum, such as the new, immaculate conservation laboratories, made me wonder why such opportunities couldn’t be incorporated into some kind of tour. The PMA obviously wishes to embrace the community and further the cause of art and culture with the Perelman and what it represents. A few more steps towards total transparency are little when they’ve come so far.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art and to the right, the Ruth and Raymond G. Perelman Building, with its red terracotta roof. Opening to the public on September 15, 2007, the Perelman Building has been renovated and expanded by Gluckman Mayner Architects with new galleries and study centers. (Photo: Graydon Wood)

Anyone in the Philadelphia area who loves art should experience the Perelman as soon as possible. The official ribbon cutting is Saturday, September 15th at 10 am. But, more importantly, anyone who has never experienced art must go there, especially if they have children. The musty museum of common misperception doesn’t live here. Here is a living museum, a living classroom that educations, entertains, and elevates the spirit.

[Many thanks to the PMA for inviting me to attend the Perelman press preview and share in this important landmark in their history and the history of Philadelphia. Thanks also to the PMA for the images above.]