Snapshot: Painters & Photography

The invention of the Kodak handheld camera in 1888 gave post-impressionist artists a new source of inspiration. Investigating the techniques and compositional strategies made possible by the new apparatus, artists captured their private lives, as well as their public domains, in surprising ways. The exhibition debuts many previously unpublished photographs taken by seven European artists, renowned for their paintings and prints. Approximately 200 photographs and 80 paintings and works on paper by artists including Pierre Bonnard, Félix Vallotton, and Edouard Vuillard explore the dynamic relationships among the various media. - The Phillips Collection

If you live in the DC-area (or will be visiting before May 6th), scamper on down to the The Phillips Collection to see Snapshot. If you're so inclined, this photography contest in which you use one of 9 images from the exhibit as inspiration, looks like fun (& you could win a Nikon 1). In fact, even if you won't be able to attend the exhibit, why not use the contest as a guide for a photography project of your own?

ciao-meow/GGCM

(painting by Maurice Denis & a photograph that informed it via Phillips Collection's Flickr)

Degas & Dancers

If you're in the Washington, DC area (or will be by January 8, 2012), definitely stop in to the new Degas exhibit at The Phillips Collection. There's also a Degas exhibit on at the Royal Academy of Arts in London. There are some good articles in the New York Times & a good slideshow on The Guardian. Here's the Degas label on The Guardian, too, so you can see all the article titles at once.

Can you tell we're rushing? Yes.We're dragging our laundry in & out of the rain & up & down the stairs. At least that's a bit of exercise. Growl.

ciao-meow/GG's beleaguered editor

PS: If you have little ones around, remember these New York City Ballet link coloring pages.

(Dancers at the Barre/Phillips Collection via Wikipedia

TruthBeauty at The Phillips Collection

Giulia is on the warpath again. She wants her editor to take her to this exhibit. Plans seem to be underway to revive the idea of a GG salon at The Phillips Collection café. Sigh. GG's editor is very much under-the-weather & keeping mum, not promising a thing. Meanwhile, if you are in or will be in Washington, DC we highly recommend a trip to the Phillips. If you would like to donate a small amount (via text) to repair damage from the recent fire, please click here for information.

ciao-say-cheese-meow/GG Central

TruthBeauty: Pictorialism and the Photograph as Art, 1845-1945/October 9, 2010–January 9, 2011 Like impressionism, which challenged the traditions of painting, pictorialism expanded the possibilities of photography beyond the literal description of a subject. Pictorialist photographers produced some of the most spectacular photographs in the history of the medium and influenced subsequent developments in modernist photography. Comprising over 120 photographs, this exhibition retraces pictorialism’s beginnings with the experiments of Hill and Adamson, and Julia Margaret Cameron; through its mastery by Alfred Stieglitz, Gertrude Kasebier, and Alvin Langdon Coburn; to its lasting legacy in early works by Edward Weston and Imogen Cunningham. Organized by George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film, and Vancouver Art Gallery. (photograph via audrey hepburn complex)

Tuesday at the Phillips with GG

GG is having a righteous rumpus. Her feline heart is set on becoming a patroness of the arts, particularly at the Phillips Collection. The day may come when we'll have to rent the café & throw her a big party. The Phillips Collection was voted Washington's best museum AND art gallery by City Paper readers recently. Some young'uns--the hordes of mid-20s-30ish folks recently descended upon our city--think they discovered it. Au contraire, nos amis. (Though we're happy to have you on board.)

The Phillips was a hang-out for GG's editor when she was still an official teenager, recently returned from France. "Meet you under the Matisse" meant she could be found sitting on a lumpy bottle-green velvet sofa in the music room (under a Matisse). We'd love to see GG sleeping on that sofa; we miss it terribly--including the lumps. The jewel-box space has become too manicured for our taste; but like an old friend--you still love them, even with (too much) Botox.

Some favorite paintings at the Collection are by Bonnard. Above, The Palm & La Côte d'Azur, respectively. The museum goer (looking just like GG's editor) is by Nina Leen. She's trying to divine from an egg-shaped objet d'art, "What will the Easter Bunny bring GG?"

ciao-meow/GG's art curator & party planner

[Bonnard images via artchive.com & Nina Leen photograph via LIFE archives]

GG Distressed at July Mess - Week's End

Update: Friday, 10 July 2009. Editorial decision to slap a 'week's end' on this post for sake of sanity & order. There's a lovely new-to-us item for bidding over at Made4Aid. GG is no help at all. She awaits a package delivery of toys & accessories (cherry blossom harness & matching lead) & so is disinterested in her editor's distress. She also has taken to hiding our keys. Seriously. Have a lovely weekend. We hope to be back before Monday.

This is only so Pablo doesn't stand on the beach one more day (see Tuesday post). Sunburn, you know. Seriously, this repeat-with-update is somewhat distressing. We're in similar shape as last August's post. Things are becoming more organized but...

Why this particular (embarrassing) post? We renewed our Phillips Collection (lower right sidebar) membership & rejoice. The purchase of two Prismacolor pens made the week, perhaps the month. You can always go to Made4Aid or Darfur Peace & Development Organization. If you went to both, that would be grand. [Note: left out pitiful thumbnail of Van Gogh painting mentioned below.]

Avanti!

From 24 August 2008, GG: Forgive Our Mess post

OOF!

Even en vacances, there is work to be done. While GG & her editor move things around the site, please do forgive the mess. GG's editor cannot readily locate her box(es) of Rembrandt pastels, inks, & Prismacolor pencils to illustrate this dire situation. GG's editorial judgment is to post some lovely images by van Gogh & Fantin-Latour, & spare ourselves embarrassment. It's bad enough leaving a mess floating in the ether. Aieeee!

Ciao, nos amis!

xoxo, GG

Wednesday at the Phillips with GG

GG longs to see the real The Boating Party. She'll have to sneak in because her editor is way too busy to take her. GG is taken with the story of her editor's Boating Party costume party many years ago. And with that, we must take our leave. Do visit the web site, it's lovely. GG is organizing a weekly salon (as threatened this past summer)...details forthcoming on her foray into café society. (She's already redecorating the apartment in her little feline mind. Great idea--now she can get a job.)

Ciao-meow, nos amis!
GG Central Mgmt.

A peaceful Wednesday at the Phillips with GG

We wish we could go to the Phillips but can't tomorrow. This is last autumn's magazine cover...our membership lapsed in the spring. Still it is pretty. GG's editor has many maxims, one being..."nothing bad can happen to you in the Phillips..." Its true!

So if you are in the Washington, DC-area take yourself to the Phillips. It's great with someone, but eminently suitable for a date with yourself. (No need for membership to see the permanent collection for free/small donation)... after that, go into the shop...lovely art stickers for about $1.25...postcards (they sell stamps, too), a petit riens.

Then go to the café & write postcards, or in your journal, or people watch. It's open until 4pm.

If you should happen upon a long-legged, pink-nosed ginger & white cat wearing a chic moss-colored cotton collar, tell GG to return home pronto. She's plotting a trip, it's quite obvious. She's rifling through the art books of late--especially those from the Phillips. You will most likely run into the bohemian GG in the café; she aspires to hold a weekly salon at GG Central & GG Central Management has not made a decision yet.

Have a great Wednesday, whatever you do.

Ciao, xoxo, GG's editor

For brief relief...look out a window, real or otherwise