Pattern has been an important facet of
art throughout history from the early cultures of the Celts, the Romans,
and the Persians,
to name a
few. Artifacts from these societies demonstrate many historical examples
of
repetitive shape as do the American Navajo rugs and Midwestern quilts.
In the 1970s and early 1980s, an art movement called the “Pattern
and Decoration” movement was prevalent. Patterning involves the
repetition of shapes in a numerical sequence. One artist whose work is
shown in the
exhibition works with the Fibonacci Sequence, a naturally occurring progression
of numbers discovered in the 13th century by an Italian scientist. This
exhibition, demonstrating many math/art connections, continues throughout
the year with related programming.
The Rohman family of Lincoln have been collectors of art and involved in
many of Nebraska's arts institutions for a number of years. This exhibition
brings together a selection of works given to MONA by the Rohmans and will
be on display in the Rohman Gallery. The collection reveals the artistic
preferences of a private collector and features a mix of work from the
historic to the avant-garde. Artists featured in the show include Ralph
A. Blakelock, Howard Buffett, Le Roy Burket, Malcom Christhilf, Stephen
Dinsmore, Elizabeth Honor Dolan, Paul Fell, Michael Forsberg, Robert F.
Gilder, Laurie Houseman WhiteHawk, George W. Lundeen, Tom Palmerton, Lawton
S. Parker, J. Laurie Wallace, Robert Weaver, Roy De Forest, Alice Righter
Edmiston, and Howard Kaye.Ralph A. Blakelock (1847-1919) is one of the
tragic figures of western American art. Though he rose from the ranks of
the unknown and untrained to the unlikely status of being the most highly
publicized American artist at the turn of the century, he later suffered
from a deep depressive mental state that ended his career. Blakelock spent
the years 1869-72 in the West where he painted a number of topographical
scenes. On his return East, he evolved the aesthetic that was to dominate
his art - quiet evening scenes, large oak trees silhouetted against a sunset
or moonlight glow, often with Indian camps sparkling in the dark beneath.
Blakelock is often credited with being an artist whose work foreshadowed
the romantic, escapist visionary, and often modern tendencies of art popular
at the turn of the century. Norman Geske, who is one of the world experts
on Blakelock, has said that Blakelock's work built upon the methods of
the Hudson River School through his romantic use of light, atmospheric
effects, and the subliminal qualities of nature. Blakelock was born and
studied in New York City and began his career as a late Hudson River School
landscape painter. He made his exhibition debut at the National Academy
of Design in 1868, exhibiting there annually until 1873 and sporadically
thereafter. Apparently predisposed to melancholia, the artist suffered
a mental collapse in 1891 and was institutionalized briefly. Throughout
the 1890s his emotional state gradually deteriorated, manifesting in delusions
of grandeur and eccentric dress. A violent episode in 1899 resulted in
the artist's uninterrupted confinement until 1916, after which he was hospitalized
periodically until his death. Ironically the recognition that he had long
sought came to him only after he was institutionalized. His work has a
mysterious quality, which some scholars have associated with the type of
music he habitually played on the piano during interludes of painting.
Towards the end of his career, his paintings became increasingly haunting,
a reflection of his depression brought on by horrible poverty. Omaha artist Yanna Synovia Ramaekers exhibits new work that continues her
investigation in the area of bronze, clay, and drawing, and experimentation
with the figure. Her most current bronze work has been described as deeply
expressive in its structure and emotional in its content. Though her work
has a gothic visceral quality, the forms have a strange elegance and beauty
that is highly appealing. Focusing primarily on the human figure, her bronzes
depict the female form in a highly stylized super-distorted manner. Almost
completely abstracted though retaining its figurative nature, the forms
have limbs that have either been extremely extended with pointed hands
and feet or have been disfigured into stub-like appendages. Some of the
heads have what appear to be bird-like beaks while legs, arms, and torsos
are bound with cloth and rope. The artist views these sculptures as expressions
of a surreal world. The bound bodies are meant to reflect the idea of having
an outer shell or protective armor. The other subject of her work is the
animal skull which the artist has stated is inspired by her strong connection
with nature, life and death. She also works in clay and, in this medium,
the pieces are mostly surreal distorted busts. Ramaekers was born in 1973
in Genoa, Nebraska. She grew up on the family farm and graduated from Columbus
High School. In 1997 she completed her B.F.A. from Creighton University
in Omaha, Nebraska where she studied with many respected artists including
Littleton Alston, John Thien, Jerry Horning, and Bob Bosco. Following graduation
she worked at the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts for two years. She
later moved to Maryland where she completed her M.F.A. at the Rinehart
Graduate School for Sculpture at the Maryland Institute College of Art
in Baltimore. Her other art-related experiences include working on a studio
assistant for sculptor Littleton Alston in Omaha as well as a fine arts
handler for Artex Fine Arts Services in Maryland.
Pattern from Repetition
September 16 - December 12, 2004
The Rohman Collection
January 25 - May 3, 2004
Nebraska Now: Yanna Ramaekers
February 21 - May 30, 2004
The Migration Stops Here: MONA's Cranes
February 10 - May 2, 2004
In celebration of the annual Sandhill crane migration through central Nebraska, MONA shows its artworks that feature the image of the crane. Artists represented are John James Audubon, Robert Weaver, Michael Forsberg, and Paul Goble.
Notes From the Road
ARTreach
September marked the journey of Grant Reynard & World War II: Images from the Home Front to Beatrice for a month-long showing at the Gage County Museum. The exhibition then traveled to the Hastings Museum, where it was shown in conjunction with the museum’s collection of war memorabilia. In early 2004 ARTreach will celebrate the opening of its two newest exhibitions. Falter Illustrated features renderings for magazines (and the original covers that resulted from them), original illustrations for books, posters designed for the United States Government, and additional selections characterizing John Falter’s successful career. Falter Illustrated will be on view in MONA’s Postmaster Gallery January 20 to March 13. Way to Go will premiere, in a reduced form, at Adams Bank and Trust in Imperial in February. Join the Chase County Arts Council there on Sunday, February 1, for an opening reception. Way to Go is a confluence of artwork merging with quotes and selections from period literature and songs. The imagery and words showcased in the exhibition provide an intimate glimpse into the sensations that travel evokes ú a spirit of adventure, excitement, and sometimes longing or even fear. Be among the first to host one of these fresh new exhibitions! For information about bringing ARTreach to your community, please contact Kristin Gebhardt at 308.865.8303.
May 1 to June 13 East to West: ANAC’s Best Dawson County Historical Museum Lexington, NE
MONA Enters the World of Distance Education
The first Distance Education lesson was presented from MONA on September 4. During this live interactive session, schools in Ord, Axtell, Pleasanton, Amherst, Ravenna, and Kearney connected electronically to the Museum where state poet William Kloefkorn was ensconced among the large charcoal drawings in the exhibition Edgar Jerins: Narrative Portraits. Geared to high school age, the students wrote a piece of poetry or prose using a Jerins artwork as inspiration. Poet Kloefkorn provided commentary as several students shared their creative writing drafts with him, their classmates, and those from the other schools. In final form, the written works have been posted on the ESU 10 website and shared with the artist in New York. The final component will be a telecommunication “real-time” connection between the artist and the student writers. This program is the result of collaborations among the Distance Education staffs of UNK and ESU 10 with MONA’s Education staff and Education Advisory Board members. This single project involved an artist creating his artworks in New York, having them seen in Nebraska where they were used as inspiration for students’ creative writing that was guided by a Nebraska poet, then shared with the artist who discusses with students their interpretation of his drawings. Although in a preliminary development phase, the wonders and possibilities of distance learning are clearly evident in this prototype. Other sessions are planned in February and March for middle school and elementary school age students.
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