Cleveland Museum of Art,The,U.S. – förlag

South of the Sahara opens with general observations on the immensely rich and diversified artistic heritage of sub-Saharan Africa. Constantine Petridis examines the relationship between contemporary and so-called traditional African arts, and presents examples showing that many African works were originally part of an ensemble or one element of a performance. He discusses how works relate to ideas about leadership and the supernatural and then relates the many misunderstandings that still exist concerning the history and the chronology of African art. Afterdissecting the complex issue of style, he concentrates on the relationship between styles and both time and geography. Finally, Petridis considers the little-known issue of African aesthetics, investigating how the aesthetic preferences of the makers and users of the works differ from those of the Western museum audience and art lovers.Forty-two important works from thirty different cultures are featured in color, including objects from the ancient kingdom of Benin and examples of two of Africa’s oldest archaeological art traditions: Nok in Nigeria and Djenne in Mali. Enriched with many field photographs and much ethnographical information, this presentation emphasizes the extraordinary formal invention and spiritual power of the objects.

Geometry can be found all around us. The Persistence of Geometry is an exploration of the visualization of geometry and geometrical forms through history with a special emphasis on modern and contemporary art. It is a highly personal visual journey that records not only the commonalities of human perception throughout the ages and in different cultures, but also the continuing dialogue of vanguard art from the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries with traditional and historical art.The Persistence of Geometry provides an opportunity to understand forms and shapes as carriers of meaning that are both specific to a particular cultural context and universal in their immediate appeal. Paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, photographs, ceramics, textiles, utensils and furniture from historic and contemporary cultures worldwide illustrate how geometric structures and abstract visual vocabularies have communicated meaning throughout history. I n the modern era, these geometric forms have served as vehicles for revolutionary distillations of form and narrative and as the foundations for conceptual and social models of new societal values.Dr. Lowery Stokes Sims, President of The Studio Museum in Harlem, has curated over 40 exhibitions, many reflecting an interest in African American and women artists; written extensively on African, Latino, Native and Asian American artists; and taught art history, curatorship, and art criticism at Bard College and Queens College, among others.

Transformations in Cleveland Art explores the intersection between art and events during a period of extraordinary, sometimes disorienting change that transformed Cleveland from a canal village into a major industrial city. The authors reconstruct Cleveland's artistic life from its origins to the mid-twentieth century, when regional schools declined relative to the ascent of national and international art movements.Rather than a vague reflection of national trends, Cleveland art is studied within the context of the specific milieu in which it was created. The authors also examine how Cleveland artists interpreted themselves and their city, expressed the hopes and aspirations of their fellow citizens, and responded to rapid urbanization and industrialization. Particular attention is given to the various ways in which Cleveland artists confronted the challenges of the modern age while struggling to secure a niche in the economy of a city in the process of inventing itself. At the same time, the authors consider whether Cleveland art converges or diverges from national culture. This methodology has never before been applied to Cleveland art, and we believe it will challenge long-held assumptions about regional art production in America.Transformations in Cleveland Art culminates years of effort to locate, document, research, and interpret the city's distinguished yet understudied and underappreciated artistic tradition. The curators of the exhibition tracked works of art through research in newspapers, exhibition catalogues, dealer records, and archives as well as through interviews with artists and their descendants. Although critical attention has historically focused on painting and sculpture, the curators expanded their research to include prints, photography, and decorative arts—areas of notable artistic production in Cleveland.

Transformations in Cleveland Art explores the intersection between art and events during a period of extraordinary, sometimes disorienting change that transformed Cleveland from a canal village into a major industrial city. The authors reconstruct Cleveland's artistic life from its origins to the mid-twentieth century, when regional schools declined relative to the ascent of national and international art movements.Rather than a vague reflection of national trends, Cleveland art is studied within the context of the specific milieu in which it was created. The authors also examine how Cleveland artists interpreted themselves and their city, expressed the hopes and aspirations of their fellow citizens, and responded to rapid urbanization and industrialization. Particular attention is given to the various ways in which Cleveland artists confronted the challenges of the modern age while struggling to secure a niche in the economy of a city in the process of inventing itself. At the same time, the authors consider whether Cleveland art converges or diverges from national culture. This methodology has never before been applied to Cleveland art, and we believe it will challenge long-held assumptions about regional art production in America.Transformations in Cleveland Art culminates years of effort to locate, document, research, and interpret the city's distinguished yet understudied and underappreciated artistic tradition. The curators of the exhibition tracked works of art through research in newspapers, exhibition catalogues, dealer records, and archives as well as through interviews with artists and their descendants. Although critical attention has historically focused on painting and sculpture, the curators expanded their research to include prints, photography, and decorative arts—areas of notable artistic production in Cleveland.