San Diego Museum of Art Roundup: american minimal, Ruud van Empel: Theatre, For the People: Modern Printmaking in Mexico

 by Patricia Frischer

Gisela Colon 

american minimal  On view through June 1

I am sure I am not the only one that has noticed the world is crazy right now. On the Sunday I visited the San Diego Museum of Art and Balboa Park was seething with people. But when I stepped into the American Minimal exhibition, quiet settled over me like a soothing balm. One can understand why the chaos of abstract expressionism with the seemingly out of control color and brush strokes, was followed by the balance and simplicity of minimalism. Sometimes, one needs an absence of reality. The object is the object is the object. In addition, there are experiments with new mediums, plastics, light itself, even early computer-generated art.

Jennifer Findley and John Digesare are responsible for the curation, and the  works are simply placed to allow them to speak fully. Most of the works are familiar, but the joy of this kind of exhibition is that not only do you visit old friends, but new discoveries are there to delight you. 

The shadow of a guard on duty, a simply yellow wall and the stunning obelisk by Grisela Colon (above)  is so seductive with it swirling purple surface. Gary Lang circular works from 1998 were minimal even though they owe a lot to op art. Larry Bell's experiments bring the light and space. Friank Stella is a highlight, of course, as is Josef Albers, but I as really intrigued with the wall work by David Lasry.  It is just black lines oil painted lines on a white wood background. But it is so much more than that. It is endlessly confusing and that makes it sort of magic. 

Gary Lang

Larry Bell

Installation view including Frank Stella

David Lasry

Josef Albers

 Ruud van Empel: Theatre  On view through July 27

A quick look at these large composition and you might wonder where Rud van Empel found such amazing landscapes to photograph. But these are not just collaged works that make up the fantasy spaces. Every single element is separately placed which must take mindless amounts of time and effort, even using digital reproduction.  And the originals images all come from photographs this Dutch artist takes himself, some even from our own Joshua Tree National Park.  Since you have slowed down in the museum already, take the time to watch the video to see more of his work and how it is compiled. 

Ruud van Empel

Ruud van Empel

Ruud van Empel

Ruud van Empel

For the People: Modern Printmaking in Mexico  On view through August 10

The prints in this small show were all made by members of Taller de Gráfica Popular (TGP) founded in 1937. The subject was generally anti-fascism and social justice and in honor of Women’s History Month, I chose images of women with rifles, women who looks like they are immigrants, but they are actually just going to market, and one work by a women Elizabeth Catlett of children playing in masks.  More than any other multiple produced images, lino and wood cuts seem to show the hand of the artist. 

 

 

Elizabeth Catlett

Leopoldo Mendez

Fernando Castro Pacheco

A little reminder, The Art of Americas exhibition has a work by Becky Guttin and you pass it on the the way the Rudd van Emel exhibition.