Ouch To The Condo

Beauford Delaney's "Charlie Parker" 1968 at the Memorial Art Gallery in Rochester, New York
Beauford Delaney’s “Charlie Parker” 1968 at the Memorial Art Gallery in Rochester, New York

My mother was always rearranging the furniture in our house, sometimes even swapping the functions of the rooms. I remember her taking the dining room table out of the dining room. She has a great eye and her rearrangements often invigorated our home. Sometimes they just didn’t work but they still managed to liven up the place.

The MAG, under the direction of its new steward, Jonathan Binstock, has rearranged its collection while calling attention to some great new acquisitions. I especially like the Beaufort Delaney “Charlie Parker” portrait shown above. And the new Mickalene Thomas portrait, “Qusuquzah” almost steals the show in the new portrait gallery (just beyond the admission desk). Her spacial, almost cubist play with the figure’s head is sensational. Walt Kuhn’s “Clown” is still more compelling. Robert Lee MacCameron “New Orleans Man” looks great and it is nice to see the Pieter Jansz Pourbus’ “Portraits of a Husband and Wife” out again. They were missing in action for a few years

The cluster of portraits doesn’t really work for me though. I’d rather engage with them one on one. They would be better in that long hallway on the side of the auditorium where that flowery mural over the fake fireplace is. It’s a good thing they don’t let me loose in that place. The 1935 Calder “Standing Mobile” looks great. Can’t imagine where that has been hiding. And they have a little trove of Gaston LaChaise statuettes. I wish they had one of his more expressive pieces. “Ouch” to the Condo and the polka dot lady!

Jacob Lawrence’s “The Legend of John Brown” portfolio of silkscreen prints looks fantastic in the newly painted Lockhart Gallery. And they have removed the center island in that room so can really take in the graphic intensity. You have to get over there to see that.

1 Comment

One Reply to “Ouch To The Condo”

  1. when Kim and Dave went out of town A and R re-arranged their house for them, putting the bedroom in a more quiet part of the house. It had been next to the kitchen and Dave’s early morning coffee-making was, well, early and the noise of the coffee grinder would startle Kim awake. We made the former bedroom into the dining room. Makes sense, right? Being next to the kitchen and all. And we thought it was funny and thought Kim and Dave would too. Nope. Anyway, Sorry Kim! Thanks for not holding it against us.

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