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By Jamie Hendrix-Chupa, Exhibition Interpreter and Content Manager
SOU Theatre Class of '27
| | Paul Klee, Angelus Novus (New Angel), 1920, monoprint | | Paul Klee’s Angelus Novus was created using Klee’s original technique of applying a thin layer of oil paint or ink onto a piece of paper, then placing it down on a substrate to create a copy. The piece, as shown above, depicts an angelic creature in an inky vignette. Walter Benjamin, a friend of Klee’s, purchased the print a year after its creation. Benjamin effectively became the historian on this piece, later developing a philosophical perspective on it. The theory of the “angel of history” offers a bleak view of the historical cycle. The "angel of history" perceives history as a catastrophic experience in which negativity gets piled up until the world is filled with it, rather than the history-repeating-itself, chain of events system that we believe. As history continues on, the angel is propelled by the inky storm of progress into the future. Currently at the Schneider, a piece inspired by Klee’s is on view. Angelus Novus (Renegotiated) by Kamrooz Aram reprises this inky vignette, this time representing the angel by using a glowing, haloed geometric figure rather than the mammalian angel in Klee’s work. This polygonal holy one is surrounded by muddled shapes, making it the bright subject that draws the eye. This angel seems to command the space, forcing the shapes around it to attention, as if it has seen progress and how that informs the future. Check out Angelus Novus (Renegotiated) at the Schneider Museum of Art, and read more about Klee’s Angelus Novus in this article from art magazine Hypoallergic. | | Interior of the Notre Dame-de Paris Cathedral, Paris, France | | |
In studying art and architecture, you will find they often go hand-in-hand. The human desire to decorate our spaces is not just an action found within the home; it is common in most any space we take up. Places of worship are an excellent example of this spatial artistic curation on a large scale. When we think of cathedrals, a few design elements come to mind. Stained glass windows, large archways, vaulted ceilings, long extended hallways and pews come to mind. Taking a deeper look allows us to deconstruct these design elements into shapes and colors – jewel tones, circles, domes, ovate and oblong leaf shapes, straight lines, symmetry, and asymmetry. These elements are a core inspiration for artist Jason Stopa, whose work is the focus of the current exhibition at the Schneider Museum of Art, "Modern Language". Stopa’s work as a whole focuses on creating an environmental experience within his art, which is where the inspiration from these cathedrals is drawn. Taking elements from the Gothic, Romanesque, and Baroque architectural styles, Stopa creates a feeling of sanctity in his paintings. In Baroque architecture in particular, the design forms seem to have a life of their own, an element that gets down to the core of Stopa’s work. Read more about Stopa’s artwork on our website, and come to the Schneider to experience the artistic environment of "Modern Language". And visit the link below to learn some more about Baroque architecture!
https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/baroque-architecture
| | Bob Thompson, Blue Madonna, 1961, oil on canvas | | |
African American painter Bob Thompson was known for his use of bright and bold colors and shapes. The composition of his works was inspired by the Old Masters of the art world, focusing on the human form, yet Thompson’s work takes this into the abstract. His art was also influenced by the jazz movement, and in some way he incorporated jazz into his abstract-expressionist paintings. Bob Thompson grew up during the Jim Crow era, and as a young boy he was discouraged from associating with other Black families who were of a lower class than his family, causing him to be socially isolated. It can be said that in times of isolation, many artists find themselves and their inspiration, unless they are inspired directly by their community. In a way, this isolation can be seen in Thompson’s work, with each figure being featureless and represented by a single solid color. However, being able to see the joy that Thompson’s work evokes is also necessary, considering the context in which he lived and worked. Rather than seeing these figures as isolated individuals, they can be seen as a whole, brought together within the world of his paintings, without needing to be the same color or shape. They are connected by being in the artwork and experiencing the world that Thompson created for them, such as in Thompson’s work The Circus, currently on view at the Schneider in the curated show "Angel of History". During times of community sorrow or stress, it is important to focus on artists and creators who are bringing joy to the community, or simply those who bring you joy. If not only joy, the work of Bob Thompson may also empower, uplift, or connect. Read more about Thompson’s work at the link below, and visit the museum to see his painting The Circus, on view until December 13th.
https://www.artandobject.com/news/bob-thompsons-timeless-strokes-navigating-identity-and-tradition-art
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