Cleveland Museum of Art opens ‘Brand-New & Terrific: Alex Katz in the 1950s’exhibit
It is a well known fact that nothing in art is universal. Each artist collects their own group of fans and admirers as well as their fair share of detractors. Keeping this in mind, the world renowned Cleveland Art Museum strives to provide art experiences that serve to broaden the horizons of those living in the Northeast Ohio area.
Case in point is the opening of the Museum’s latest exhibition titled “Brand-New & Terrific: Alex Katz in the 1950s” that will be on view in the Kelvin and Eleanor Smith Foundation Hall at the Cleveland Museum of Art from April 30 through August 6, 2017.
The exhibit is the largest collection of Katz’s work ever put together at one time with 84 pieces included in the showing. The collection consists of innovative portraits, landscapes, cutouts, collages as well as still lifes and includes works from the 50s through 70s. The items represent subjects that the artist found around him at his home in Maine such as landscape, friends and domestic interiors.
In the 50s, abstract painting dominated the art scene. During this time period, Katz felt compelled to “invigorate traditional subject matter” through the use of recognizable imagery pared down to their most fundamental elements. This minimalistic approach is what brought Alex Katz to the forefront of the artistic world. What the paintings lack in detail they make up for vibrancy of color. While some viewers of the works will be disturbed by the lack of detail, others will relish the idea that the paintings allow their minds to fill in the details.
As a special treat, Alex Katz will be making a personal appearance at the Cleveland Museum of Art on May 12, 2017 to talk about his early works that are on display in the exhibition.
In Conversation: Diana Tuite and Alex Katz
Friday, May 12, 2017
7:00 p.m.
Gartner Auditorium
Join artist Alex Katz and curator Diana Tuite, the Colby College Museum of Art, for a lively discussion about Katz’s career and works in the exhibition Brand-New & Terrific: Alex Katz in the 1950s, on view April 30 through August 6.
Free but tickets are required. Those wishing to attend may register online at engage.clevelandart.org or by calling the ticket center at (216) 421-7350.
