Skip to main content

What is . . .

. . . a masterpiece?

Is it the idea, the technique?
Is it the material, the style?
Is it the form?
Is it the right balance . . .
National Museum of Korea, Seoul, S. Korea - Summer 2014
 . . . of color and rhythm?
Is it soul?
Conversations, Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, Winter 2015
Is it the passion that goes into the creation?
Documenta 13, Kassel, Germany Summer 2012
Is it still?
. . .  makes the viewer feel?

Is it the exhibition space?
Is it the viewer?
Anselm Kiefer, Wege der Weltweisheit: die Hermanns-Schlacht, Städel Museum, Germany
Is it a masterpiece if it stays in the closet,
underneath the bed?  Or hangs in a gallery?
Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC
New Galleries for the Art of the Arab Lands, Turkey, Iran, Central Asia, and Later South Asia

Will books, libraries, institutions, ancient cave walls
reveal the secrets of what makes a masterpiece or
must we find out on our own?
Louvre Museum, Paris, Summer 1992
Is it the life long sacrifice of creating dreams?
Does the artist know?
Or does she exit without ever knowing?
Documenta 13, Charlotte Salomon's art, Kassel, Germany, 2012
Panel description of Charlotte Salomon's artwork, Documenta 13
Perhaps a masterpiece is the pursuit of immortal truth.

What is a masterpiece to you?
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Flowers For Mistress Overdone, 2024

 Coded Threads: Translating Shakespeare Through Art The following is a page from Flowers For Mistress Overdone , the first of two books that I presented at the Folger Shakespeare Library on Nov 16. The pages for the books are created with textiles from 5 continents (Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe and North America).  The textiles were collaged and sewn into various designs. The fabric on the left is a collage of American and Tanzanian fabrics that I combined with one of my linocuts.  The fabric on the right was an original mid century modern English quilt top I purchased at London's Antique Quilt Company during my summer in the UK researching Shakespeare's texts.  The owner, Christopher, sources the highest quality textiles and it was truly a joy to transform this quilt into pages of my books inspired by Shakespeare's Measure For Measure. It was wonderful to present a few of my original artworks and embroidered books during my talk at the Folger Shakespeare Library....
Post a Comment
Read more

On The Verge, 2024

This month I celebrated my 23rd year creating original imagery and art for theaters by taking my mom and husband to a local production of Eric Overmyer's play On The Verge or The Geography of Yearning . On The Verge was the first play that I created illustrations and art for the production's posters and the theater's exhibition gallery.  It was great to see this play more than two decades later. A bit of trivia: On The Verge premiered in Baltimore in 1985 at Baltimore Center Stage Theater. Working on this play and Aristophanes Clouds in Italy, are two of my all time favorites. Photo: Fells Point Corner Theatre Production, Baltimore, MD 2024
Post a Comment
Read more

Born of Love, Shakespeare's Sonnet 151

Over the summer I worked on new artwork, Born of Love , inspired by Shakespeare's Sonnet 151. The book offers a translation of the sonnet to the language of textiles and embroidery.  Working on this book allowed me to explore the beauty of textiles from four continents.  Its construction is inspired by the poetic structure within the sonnet.  This book, along with two other of my art pieces, will be on exhibit at the Folger Shakespeare Library from 16 Sept 2024 - 9 Feb 2025.
Post a Comment
Read more