Tag Archives: Teresita Fernández

SF MoMA, Part 2

There’s something to be said for visiting a museum with an agenda in mind, and yet wandering from gallery to gallery, exploring as the spirit moves, can be just as rewarding. A couple of weeks ago, with my pilgrimage to Wayne Thiebaud’s paintings and drawings securely under my belt, I had the remainder of the afternoon to roam freely throughout the rest of the museum.

Looking back through the pictures I took, these are the pieces that stood out.

Winsor

#1 Rope      ©Jackie Winsor, 1976 , Wood and hemp

Jackie Winsor, born in St. John’s, Newfoundland, is descended from a long line of Canadian ships’ captains and farmers. One might infer from her choice of materials (wood and hemp), that her family’s history has had a strong influence on her work.

The repetition of spheres and verticals in this piece leave me feeling of grounded, its form projecting a sense of steadiness and reliability. Contrasted with its shadow which, to my eye, somehow reads as almost whimsical, I couldn’t help but think of cartoons where a figure’s shadow projects a different personality from the character itself.

Neel 1

Geoffrey Hendricks and Brian    ©Alice Neel, 1978 , Oil on canvas

Neel detail

Alice Neel, detail

Looking at portraits has become a more nuanced experience since I started regularly attending life drawing sessions, 14 months ago. This Alice Neel portrait of Geoffrey Hendricks and his partner Brian first grabbed me with the comfortable sense of familiarity it radiates. Looking more closely, it is the wonderful halo of green surrounding each man’s head and the general use of color overall that locks me in place.

Weeks

Untitled    ©James Weeks, 1953, Oil on canvas

This piece by James Weeks, also a force of pure color, is such a beautiful and exuberant expression of abstraction via shape and composition. I love the way the colors around the edges are channeled into and through the figures, keeping your eyes swirling throughout the painting the way I imagine the music of these musicians is filling the room where they play. Still, the composition remains firmly balanced by the strong verticals and horizontals, an assertive structure that holds the piece together.

Brown

Noel in the Kitchen   ©Joan Brown, ca. 1964 , Oil on canvas

Joan Brown’s work is not delicate or subtle. The paint is built up so thickly and unevenly that this painting is as much a tactile experience as a visual one. What a perfect expression of the early years of motherhood: messy, loud, and unpredictable. Yet it also stirs a tenderness of memory for those of us who have seen this sight, or something quite similar, in our own kitchens.

Bourgeois

Spider    ©Louise Bourgeois, 2003 , Stainless steel and tapestry

I was happy to get  to the top floor to see the grouping of Louise Bourgeois’ spiders. This example that inserts an element of empathy by including a human form comprised of tapestry, was especially resonant. Enjoy what Bourgeois has to say about her work in this short video.

I am quite taken with Cloth Lullaby, an illustrated biography of Bourgeois, written for children. This year I would very much like to read an account of her life meant for adults. There are so many Bourgeois biographies available that it’s hard to choose. Can any of you recommend one that  you thought was particularly good?

Fernández 1

Fire    ©Teresita Fernández, 2005, Silk, steel, and epoxy

Of all the wonderful work I saw, there was one piece that stands out. Looking up from Thiebaud’s work to the next gallery, this view took my breath away. This piece has a presence that is absolutely spectacular. If you can spare three minutes, this wonderful museum video provides insight into the work and its origin.

Fernández 2

Fire     ©Teresita Fernández, 2005

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Finally, seeking out bookstores is an important part of any trip, don’t you think? If you have time to spare while in the neighborhood, there are two that are well-worth a visit within a stone’s throw of the SF MoMA.

I couldn’t resist this wonderful little book. As I suspect is also true of Alexander Book Company where I found it, you can dip in and out of this book and still find something new each time you crack it open.

And for contemporary art books, don’t miss 871 Fine Arts on Hawthorne Street, an establishment that carries only art books — thousands of them. It has an adjoining gallery as well. Complete the triangle with a visit to the MoMA’s bookstore, and I guarantee your inner bibliophile will end the day fully satisfied.

 

 

A “Top Ten” for All of Us

In my reading this week, I ran across what amounts to a “top ten” list of ideas for artists that I think merits sharing. I hope you will agree.

TERESITA FERNÁNDEZ:  Fire, 2005 silk yarn, steel armature, epoxy 96 x 144 diameter inches 243.8 x 365.8 cm In collaboration with The Fabric Workshop and Museum, Philadelphia Collection San Francisco Museum of Art

Offered as the concluding advice in sculptor Teresita Fernández’s 2013 commencement address to the graduates of Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of the Arts (her alma mater), she speaks from a place of humble accord with the young artists she is addressing. Eschewing the usual platitudes often shared at such an occasion, Ms. Fernández instead acknowledges, among other  lessons, the power of failed attempts and useless knowledge.  She elaborates on the distinction between the inside and the outside of success in a way we can all appreciate and understand, underlining that being an artist stretches beyond what is accomplished in the studio; all facets of one’s life will be reflected in the resulting art.

TERESITA FERNÁNDEZ:  Night Writing (Hero and Leander), 2011 colored and shaped paper pulp with ink jet assembled with mirror 49.21 x 66.14 inches (work), 125 x 168 cm 55.25 x 72.25 x 2.75 inches (framed), 140.3 x 183.5 x 7 cm Edition of 1 In collaboration with Singapore Tyler Print Institute

For me, the most appealing aspect of this list is that it’s not just for those who are starting their career; it is fully applicable regardless of how long you have been at it, your age, your level of success, or your geographical location. I truly appreciate how “down to earth” these maxims are, reflecting the humble and inclusive nature of Ms. Fernández’s approach, in spite of her vast accomplishments and the prestigious awards she has received. What a breath of fresh air!

If you’re interested in reading the full address “On amnesia, broken pottery and the inside of a form” click here.  It’s well-worth your time.

But for now, here is her list of 10 practical nuggets that have assisted her, and will hopefully benefit the rest of us as well. I have my favorites that will be tacked to the wall of my studio, I wonder which of these will resonate with you.

TERESITA FERNÁNDEZ:   Ink Sky 2 (detail), 2011 anodized aluminum black mirror, hooks, rhodium plated chains, galena rocks 34 x 96 x 132 inches 86.4 x 243.8 x 335.3 cm Edition of 2

1. Art requires time, there’s a reason it’s called a studio practice. Contrary to popular belief moving to Bushwick, Brooklyn this summer does not make you an artist. If in order to do this you have to share a space with five roommates and wait on tables, you will probably not make much art. What worked for me was spending five years building a body of work in a city where it was cheapest for me to live, and that allowed me the precious time and space I needed after grad school.

2. Learn to write well and get into the habit of systematically applying for every grant you can find. If you don’t get it, keep applying. I lived from grant money for four years when I first graduated.

3. Nobody reads artist’s statements. Learn to tell an interesting story about your work that people can relate to on a personal level.

4. Not every project will survive. Purge regularly, destroying is intimately connected to creating. This will save you time.

5. Edit privately. As much as I believe in stumbling, I also think nobody else needs to watch you do it.

6. When people say your work is good do two things. First, don’t believe them. Second, ask them WHY? If they can convince you of why they think your work is good, accept the compliment. If they can’t convince you (and most people can’t) dismiss it as superficial and recognize that most bad consensus is made by people simply repeating that they “like” something.

7. Don’t ever feel like you have to give anything up in order to be an artist… I had babies and made art and traveled and still have a million things I’d like to do.

8. You don’t need a lot of friends or curators or patrons or a huge following, just a few that really believe in you.

9. Remind yourself to be gracious to everyone, whether they can help you or not. It will draw people to you over and over again and help build trust in professional relationships.

10. And lastly, when other things in life get tough, when you’re going through family troubles, when you’re heartbroken, when you’re frustrated with money problems, focus on your work. It has saved me through every single difficult thing I have ever had to do, like a scaffolding that goes far beyond any traditional notions of a career.

TERESITA FERNÁNDEZ: Night Writing Installation view, Lehmann Maupin Gallery, 201 Chrystie Street September 12 – October 20, 2012

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