Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Save Us from Shallow



The artist Alex Katz likes painting women in black hats.  On Sunday, friends and I went to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts to see his work.  We were not enthusiastic.  "Shallow," one of us said.  Particularly shallow when there are multiple women in black hats.   Do we look as predictable when we all wear the same hat or dress or shoes?    




Black hats a la Alex Katz are for sale in the Museum gift shop.  We clowned around, trying on hats.  I tried for a hard look but ended up looking silly and enthralled.  The shop  also featured blouses, scarfs, beach bags, etc. copied from the Katz paintings.  I don't understand what one gets out of wearing such things.




We liked the "Paper Zoo" exhibit with this marvelous Picasso "Toad," here in black and white.  I wish I could find a copy in color.





We also liked the exhibit of early photographs, especially this sea scene by Gustave Le Gray.





Fat toad, gray sky, darker gray sea: they gave us so much pleasure.




11 comments:

  1. Hey Mim, I too dislike the women in black hats, they do nothing for me, but I looked Alex Katz up and found other work, I love this cat on chair: http://www.alexkatz.com/pop_up_image/editions/00007

    Agree, the Picasso toad is magnificent!

    And looks like you had fun anyway!

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  2. Yes, dear cat print, Nasim.

    We did have fun and lunched outside in the courtyard, which we wouldn't have done today. Heavy, soaking, cold rain a la Scotland.

    Best regards!

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  3. i love that toad, too!
    i also never understood the popularity of Alex Katz's artwork. but years ago in NYC, when i ran with an artsy crowd, i met him several times, and he was a very charming, unassuming man. no one ever spoke ill of him, which in the gossipy art world is quite an achievement.

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  4. You know what I really liked? The contrast of the yellow background. And I'm not even a fan of yellow. But it made the shallowness of the hat-wearing more bearable.

    Greetings from London.

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  5. You are beautyful, Mim!!
    Also with a black hat. :-)
    all the best, Smilla

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  6. Thank you, Smilla!

    Cuban: I agree, the yellow amps it up.

    Cheers to far away friends . . .

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  7. Wonderful reminder, that it is the inside that counts.

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  8. Hello, Robert in Athens . . .

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  9. Mim, I like you in the black hat much better than I like the paintings of the black-hatted ones. It's the face underneath it, of course. And I do like that toad!

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  10. good morning!
    beautiful blog :) I greet of Poland :))

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