Monet to Picasso

I've always loved Monet and Van Gogh. I've enjoyed reading short stories and novels about artists and works of art. I've always enjoyed going to museums too. So, Labor Day weekend I went to go see Monet to Picasso at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts on the University of Utah campus.

So here I am writing this article to say, "Hurry and get down there before it's gone!!!!"

Seriously, it is a really great exhibit and the accompanying audio tour is very informative. I gained new insights and appreciation for the art that I already enjoyed and I gained a fresh perspective for Picasso, who I always thought had cool looking paintings, but I never really felt like I got much out of them. I loved one of the Picasso paintings from his blue period. I came away having enjoyed each work of art from beginning to end.

The exhibit covers the development of art from, well - Monet to Picasso, obviously. It includes some works from lesser know artists (at least to me), which were very beautiful, and it continued past Picasso to show artists who had a hand in art's development after Picasso. The exhibit also includes some sculpture; several by Rodin were featured. Right at the end of the of the exhibit there was a fascinating piece by Dalí.

It's well worth the trip down. So as soon as you're done with the Peach Days festivities, hurry up and get down there - 21 September is the last day, and it's coming faster than you think. And you, really, really don't want to miss it, trust me. I'm sure going to try to go again. (Below are a few related titles that may be of interest.)

Elizabeth

The Judgment of Paris: The Revolutionary Decade That Gave the World Impressionism By King, Ross 2006/12 - Walker & Company 0802715168 CHECK CATALOG From the author of the bestselling "Brunelleschi's Dome" and "Michelangelo & the Pope's Ceiling" comes the story of the artistic civil war that raged in Paris in the 1860s--the birth of Impressionism. ...More

Gauguin By Thomson, Belinda 1987/10 - Thames & Hudson 0500202206 CHECK CATALOG Making extensive use of new research and material, Belinda Thomson's incisive text gives a comprehensive and accessible account of the life and work of one of the most original artists of the late nineteenth century. Gaugin's work--painting, sculpture, prints and ceramics--is discussed in the light of his public persona, his relations with his contemporaries, his exhibitions and their critical reception. ...More

Vincent Van Gogh: A Self-Portrait in Art and Letters By Suh, H. Anna Gogh, Vincent Van Pullen, Alayne 2006/10 - Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers 1579125867 CHECK CATALOG Throughout his life, "Vincent Van Gogh" (1853-1890) wrote hundreds of letters, many to his brother Theo. In "Vincent Van Gogh," these letters have been excerpted, newly translated, and set side-by-side with more than 250 of his drawings and paintings. ...More

Lives of the Artists: Masterpieces, Messes (and What the Neighbors Thought By Krull, Kathleen Hewitt, Kathryn 1995/10 - Harcourt Children's Books 0152001034 CHECK CATALOG CCBC Choices - 1995 In this entertaining, informative collection, readers discover the idiosyncrasies-sometimes humorous, sometimes tragic-of twenty famous artists, including Michelangelo, Cassatt, van Gogh, Kahlo, and Warhol. "Fresh, spirited, and unconventional."--Kirkus Reviews ...More

Picasso By Venezia, Mike Venezia, Mike 1988/09 - Children's Press (CT) 0516422715 CHECK CATALOG Clever illustrations and story lines, together with full-color reproductions of actual paintings, give children a light yet realistic overview of each artist's life and style in these fun and educational books. ...More

National Museum of the American Indian

While I was in Washington D.C. for the American Library Association meetings I was able to attend a tour of the National Museum of the American Indian with other librarians from across the country. If any of you have been on a tour at the museum you'll know that every tour is different, but this group of librarians was extremely lucky because we had an amazing tour. Our tour guide's name was Demelza and she took us to one of their special exhibits first.


Right now the museum is showing a beautiful collection of Native American dresses in an exhibit called Identity by Design: Tradition, Change, and Celebration in Native Women's Dresses. Demelza walked us though the collection giving us great detail on the construction of the dresses, the types of materials used and how these materials changed over time, as well as the symbolism and the traditions associated with the dresses on exhibit. A tour at the National Museum of the American Indian typically lasts forty-five minutes to an hour and I think we kept her just over the hour because all of us were loving the tour so much.

She only had time to touch on the museums permanent exhibit, but the detailed tour she shared with us was well worth the time spent in the room. I would highly recommend this exhibit to all of you and you can enjoy it with out ever leaving home - if you have an internet connection, that is. Much of the exhibit is online with beautiful images of the dress and information about Native American lives and the history of Native Americans that these dress tie into. Their website also has a video about the Native American Code Talkers.

We have a lot of books, both fiction and non-fiction, about Native American life at the library. I've scattered just a few through this article.

Elizabeth