Latest news with #JoanMitchell
The Guardian
7 days ago
- Lifestyle
- The Guardian
Haunting interiors, kimonos galore and Lancashire Life magazine: what I've learned from snooping inside artist's homes
Last month I visited the New Jersey home of the 98-year-old artist Lois Dodd. Painting since the 1940s, Dodd is known for capturing the view outside her window – at night, during the day, in New York, from the countryside. She paints what is near to her, and loves to depict the 'theatre of nature', as she describes it. 'Because it is always changing, so you always see something different.' While any of us can look out of our windows, and capture what we see, Dodd's works are distinct. On the day I drove down to her white-planked home/studio on the springiest of days, surrounded by saturated greens and yellows, I felt as if I was in a Dodd painting like Red Laundry and Window Frame or Front Door Cushing. I've spent the best part of the last decade tracking down the homes of artists. Witnessing where someone lived, or the nature they grew up around, is like seeing their work from within. Suddenly everything falls into place when you see the view they looked out on, or trace the steps they took. The poet Eileen Myles once told me that they went so far as convincing an estate agent to show them an apartment in the Chicago building Joan Mitchell grew up in – just so they could get a glimpse of the painter's childhood view overlooking Lake Michigan. It feels especially important to experience such places when it comes to female artists (particularly those working before the 21st century), whose lives were often bound to the home. Ruth Asawa looped her wire sculptures on the kitchen table surrounded by her six children; Betye Saar turned to printmaking because that's the scale the domestic space allowed for. Art history often dismisses the importance of the home (compared with the studio or factory) and just how much the practical can inform the artistic. Visiting artists' homes can also reveal the most extraordinary, and intimate, traits of their lives and practices. One that had a big impact on me was the four-storey Chelsea brownstone in New York owned by the French-American artist, Louise Bourgeois. It was tall and thin, not unlike the boxed-in, headless women in her painting series, Femme Maison. And it was a place of contradictions, the interior both haunting and inviting. Standing in her basement – a long low-ceilinged room with tools and anthropomorphic sculptures still intact – was like being in one of her cage-like Cell works. It left me with the conclusion that, for Bourgeois, her house – both a prison and site of freedom – was her muse. Another place that felt significant was British-born artist Leonora Carrington's former home in Mexico City. Situated on an unassuming street in Roma Norte, it is white-walled with black panelling and boasts red and white patterned tiles. Built around a giant tree in the middle courtyard, with branches that stretch out on to different floors and over the roof, it features a winding wrought iron staircase that looks as if it has been taken directly out of her paintings. Inside, the walls are lined with books that range from ghost stories to Celtic histories to guides on dealing with loneliness (I also spotted Lancashire Life magazine). Being here, you begin to understand not only what a voracious reader Carrington was, but how much – despite remaining in Mexico all her life – she maintained her British and Irish identity (she was even known to keep her PG tips under lock and key). One day I hope to visit the New Mexican homes of painter Georgia O'Keeffe: the Abiquiú Home and Studio, and Ghost Ranch (her summer home, 12 miles away). O'Keeffe's ways of living informed her art. Not only in her subject and colour palette – red cliffs, lunar skies, the dry dusty deserts seen in Black Mesa Landscape – but in how she dressed (variations of black suits and white shirts, wrap dresses and kimonos) and meticulously arranged her belongings corresponds directly to how she painted: the refined, seamless brush; the repeated variations on a theme. When delving into an artist's work, never underestimate the power of seeking out their home and surroundings. While it might be a 'domestic' space, it can also be a portrait of someone's interior mind, revealing more than even an artwork.
Forbes
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Joan Mitchell And Robert Rauschenberg Centennial Celebrations
Joan Mitchell, 'Sans neige' (1969). Collection of the Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, purchased with funds provided by the Hillman Foundation; © Estate of Joan Mitchell. Two titans of modern art are being celebrated in 2025 on the occasion of what would have been their 100th birthdays. Joan Mitchell (1925–1992) was a leading Abstract Expressionist whose big, bold paintings showed off vibrant colors and vigorous brushstrokes, often executed over multiple canvases. Robert Rauschenberg (1925–2008) merged painting and sculpture in his 'Combines' series (1954–1964) redefining both mediums, establishing himself as one of the most innovative and revolutionary artists of the 20th century. Events and exhibitions around the world honor the duo. Robert Rauschenberg, 'Monogram,' 1955–59. Combine: oil, paper, fabric, printed paper, printed reproductions, metal, wood, rubber shoe heel, and tennis ball on canvas with oil and rubber tire on Angora goat on wood platform mounted on four casters 42 x 63 1/4 x 64 1/2 in. (106.7 x 160.7 x 163.8 cm) Moderna Museet, Stockholm Purchase 1965 with contribution from The Friends of Moderna Museet (The Museum of Our Wishes) © Robert Rauschenberg Foundation A slate of international exhibitions including seven major institutional presentations and activities exposing the breadth of Robert Rauschenberg's transdisciplinary and collaborative practice are being unveiled this year and next. The kickoff occurs at Gladstone gallery (530 West 21st Street New York, NY) with the first survey of Rauschenberg's sculptural practice in 30 years. Debuting on May 1, the presentation focuses on his production from the 1950s through the late 1990s. 'Rauschenberg, for many people, is an artist that really is inspiring,' Executive Director of the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation Courtney J. Martin told 'As an art historian, when I taught, I would say this is the person that broke with the (Abstract Expressionism) tradition to move into installation, performance, multimedia. You'd never question that an artist now was both a painter and a dancer, whereas when he starts to mix media in the 50s, it's groundbreaking.' The original multihyphenate. Hand in hand with not limiting his production to one medium, he relished the opportunity of working with other artists. 'He talked about collaboration being his best and most productive way of working, that he liked doing things with other people. I also can say from this side of it, when you look at the work produced, I do think his best work was produced out of collaboration,' Martin said. 'Working with Tricia Brown, working with John Cage, working with Merce Cunningham, entering into the world of dance and performance, lots has been fleshed out about that kind of interaction, less so other kinds of collaborations. A long-standing relationship with the master printers and lithographers at Gemini G.E.L. and ULAE to make prints and other serially based work. Seeking out people who knew another medium, both to try out that medium, ultimately, to learn how to do it, but then to produce things that he could not have done by himself, would not have been possible.' Even later in his career when he could have done the work alone. 'By the time he gets to Captiva (Florida) and has that (litho) press there, he knows enough to do this by himself, but he doesn't want to. He wants to do it with other people,' Martin said. His interest in working with other artists evolved into helping other artists once his career took off. When Rauschenberg won the grand prize for painting at the Venice Biennale in 1964, the first American to do so, his exhibition was aided by a performance of dancers from the Merce Cunningham Dance Studio. Rauschenberg shared some of his prize money to support the travel of the dancers. He launched a non-profit foundation, Change, Inc., in 1970 to assist his peers across all disciplines in need of emergency aid. Rauschenberg was big on direct aide to artists in times of unexpected crisis. 'Change Inc. allowed for people who had these unforeseeable things happen to them–fires, medical issues, problems with their children–anything that went on, and there was so little infrastructure (to support artists), (Raushenberg) said, call with your need… and (Change Inc.) would give out small grants to people to then use immediately to help solve their problems,' Martin explained. The Robert Rauschenberg Foundation continues this tradition of emergency grants for artists and cultural workers. The Foundation has supported artists and arts workers recently impacted by the Altadena wildfires and Hurricane Helene. The artist's wide-ranging and enduring commitment to philanthropy will be mirrored in a series of Centennial grants funding conservation, exhibitions, performances, publications, and public programs across the globe throughout the year. In keeping with Rauschenberg's commitment to collaborative and international engagement, the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation has invited institutions around the world with Rauschenberg holdings to honor the artist by mounting dedicated installations of his work from their permanent collections. To date, 22 institutions have received support related to exhibitions, scholarship, conservation, performances, educational programming, and more. Joan Mitchell in her Vétheuil studio, 1983. Photograph by Robert Freson, Joan Mitchell Foundation Archives, © Joan Mitchell Foundation. Fulfilling Joan Mitchell's mandate to 'aid and assist' living artists, her foundation, likewise, has supported a range of initiatives directly supporting more than 1,300 visual artists at varying stages of their careers over the past 30-plus years, providing more than $21 million in funding to artists. When the 2025 wildfires in Southern California displaced artists, the Joan Mitchell Foundation was there. When COVID made earning a living nearly impossible for artists, the Joan Mitchell Foundation was there. Additionally, the Joan Mitchell Fellowship gives annual unrestricted awards of $60,000 directly to artists working in the evolving fields of painting and sculpture, with funds distributed over a five-year period alongside learning, peer engagement, and network-building opportunities. Past recipients have included Firelei Báez, Radcliff Bailey, Chakia Booker, Mark Bradford, and Julie Buffalohead. That only gets you through the 'B's' in the alphabet as a demonstration of the profound impact of the fellowship. The New Orleans-based Joan Mitchell Center hosts residencies for national and local artists, complemented by professional development offerings, open studio events, and other public programs that encourage dialogue and exchange with the local community. The philanthropic work of Mitchell's foundation may seem at odds with her bad ass, chain smoking, athletic, wiry-thin Chicago persona. Despite a socialite's upbringing, she always had a chip on her shoulder, likely the result of an unpleasable father who wanted a boy. Mitchell's dad mistakenly wrote 'John' on Joan's birth certificate. Mitchell eventually moved to New York after study at the School of the Arts Institute of Chicago, then to Paris fulltime in 1959, and ultimately to the bucolic French countryside of Vétheuil where she'd spend the remainder of her life. 'People continue to be drawn to Mitchell's work because the physical and emotional force behind it are so present on the surface of every painting,' Sarah Roberts, Joan Mitchell Foundation, Senior Director of Curatorial Affairs, said in a video on the Joan Mitchell Foundation website announcing Mitchell 100. 'You feel the energy that she brought to bear to make the work, you feel the landscapes that she was referring to, the memories, and what they must have brought forth for her. Mitchell had a truly extraordinary sense of color, the way that she was able to orchestrate color across the surface of a painting, and that resonates both with artists, but also anyone who sees a Joan Mitchell painting.' More than 70 museums across the United States, France, and Australia will display nearly 100 works by Mitchell over the course of the year. Among the 52 museums in the U.S., presentations range from major art museums like the Art Institute of Chicago (exhibiting City Landscape, 1955), the Whitney Museum of American Art (showcasing Hemlock, 1956); the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, DC (exhibiting Cercando un Ago, 1959); and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (with two works on view, including Bracket, 1989); to important regional institutions such as the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh and the Birmingham Museum of Art in Alabama, and academic museums like the Colby College Museum of Art in Maine and the Blanton Museum of Art in Austin, TX. To support these efforts, the Joan Mitchell Foundation has awarded conservation grants to 11 American institutions, totaling about $70,000, to address essential preservation needs that will help ensure these Mitchell works remain accessible to the public now and in the future. From August 1st through 31st, 2025, The Joan Mitchell Center in New Orleans will present an alumni exhibition, reflecting on the ten-year impact of the residency program as one aspect of Mitchell's legacy. The genius of Mitchell's painting is challenged by the monumental impact of her foundation when considering the artist's legacy. In Europe, more than a dozen institutions are joining the celebration from the Centre Pompidou in Paris, to the Musée des Impressionnismes Giverny, and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Lisbon. Additionally, in Australia, the National Gallery of Australia and the National Gallery of Victoria will both have Mitchell works on view. Celebrations wrap up from November 6 through December 13, 2025, with an exhibition at David Zwirner's Chelsea gallery in New York exploring Mitchell's work from the mid-1960s. A full list and interactive map of participating institutions is available on the Foundation's website and will be updated regularly. This year also sees the publication of two books on Joan Mitchell, including the first children's book focusing on the artist, 'Joan Mitchell Paints a Symphony: La Grande Vallée Suite' by Lisa Rogers, with illustrations by Stacy Innerst (Astra Publishing House), and 'Joan Mitchell et ses chiens / Joan Mitchell and her dogs,' written by Laura Morris, Director of Archives and Research at the Joan Mitchell Foundation (Editions Norma), available in French and English. German shepherds appeared to be her favorite. Finally, the Foundation digitally released a documentary film on Mitchell available for free on its website that has been unviewable for many years.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Tate receives 'transformational' gift from US donors
Tate Modern has announced it has received a major gift from a couple of art collectors in the form of a painting by the US modern artist Joan Mitchell. It was unveiled on Thursday as one of a group of works being donated by the Miami-based philanthropists, Jorge M and Darleen Pérez. The six-metre-long triptych, entitled Iva 1973, can now be viewed for free at the London gallery next to Mark Rothko's Seagram Murals. Tate director Maria Balshaw said the gift was "one of the most important" it has received, describing the donation as "transformational". "To place such a significant and valuable work in public hands is an act of incredible generosity," said Balshaw. "It is also an endorsement of Tate's ability to share our collection with the broadest possible audience," she added. "And to care for that collection for future generations." Mitchell, who would've been 100 this year, was one of the most celebrated artists of the abstract expressionist movement. Arts Minister, Sir Chris Bryant said the "spectacular donation" of Mitchell's "masterpiece", which was originally dedicated to her dog, shows "the amazing difference one person's generosity can make". "I'm very grateful for this donation and for the work that went into making it possible," he said. "We are committed to ensuring art is for everyone, everywhere and the generosity of the Pérez family ensures that great art remains accessible to all, whilst also enriching our national collection." Argentine-American businessman Mr Pérez is best known as the chairman and CEO of The Related Group, a Miami-based real estate company. He has given or pledged over $100m (£76m) to Miami's public art museum, which was renamed the Pérez Art Museum Miami in his honour in 2013. He also founded a not-for-profit contemporary art space in Miami called El Espacio 23. Mr Perez told BBC News: "We've been talking to the Tate for a long time, we're great admirers of the Tate. "Our hope is always that our art is seen by the highest number of people. The Tate has huge viewership, millions and millions of people coming in." He added the work suited being displayed next to other famous artists. "This painting, when you see it next to the Rothko's, really resounds," he said, "and it'll be there forever. "So when you talk about legacy, we like to think that our names will not be forgotten, and that they will live, not only with the British audience, but also with the international audience that comes to the Tate. "We hope it fills a gap in the collection that is very important and maybe the most important art movement in America. It's found its home, we're very pleased with it here." Mrs Pérez noted female artists "play a significant role in shaping the cultural landscape" and that is was therefore "pivotal that we support and celebrate their contributions." "We've long admired Joan Mitchell's work and are thrilled to share Iva with the world through Tate Modern." Their gift also includes a multimillion-dollar endowment to support Tate's curatorial research. Also, a range of works and photographs by artists from across Africa and the African diaspora - including by Yinka Shonibare, El Anatsui and Malick Sidibé - will make their way from the Pérezes to Tate's collection over the coming years. Additional reporting by Steven Wright. Tate Britain to return painting looted by Nazis
Forbes
03-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Tate Modern Unveils Major Painting Donated By American Philanthropists
Joan Mitchell, Iva, 1973 a new donation to Tate Modern, London The UK's four Tate galleries are among the most visited in the world with their permanent collections of over 70,000 works of modern and contemporary art free for all to view. Today, the Tate Modern unveiled Iva, a spectacular abstract painting by American artist Joan Mitchell, one of a group of works being donated by Miami's Pérez family to the nation, alongside an endowment to fund curatorial research. One of The Seagram Murals, by Mark Rothko at Tate Modern Joan Mitchell's vast six-metre-long triptych, entitled Iva (1973), is now on display at Tate Modern where it will be enjoyed for free by millions of visitors each year. From today it can be found in the room adjoining Mark Rothko's iconic Seagram Murals, enabling the public to see two of America's greatest modern painters in dialogue with each other. A painting by Joan Mitchell named 'Sunflowers' with an estimated value of 20,000,000 - 30,000,000 USD, on display at Sotheby's auction house in New York, United States on November 01, 2023. Joan Mitchell was one of the most celebrated artists of the Abstract Expressionist movement. Her growing renown means that her major works are now far beyond the reach of most public museums to acquire. At a recent auction in Sotheby's New York, her Sunflowers painting sold for $27.9 million. Named after Mitchell's beloved German Shepherd dog, Iva is a bold, gestural work that combines emotional and physical expression. The donation of Iva transforms Tate's holdings of her work, which previously consisted of a group of prints and a smaller late painting. It also coincides with the centenary of the artist's birth in 1925. As a major European museum, Tate Modern offers the ideal setting for a painting of this significance and scale to now be on view for the public. Maria Balshaw, Director of Tate, said 'This gift is one of the most important Tate has received. To place such a significant and valuable work in public hands is an act of incredible generosity. It is also an endorsement of Tate's ability to share our collection with the broadest possible audience – particularly here at Tate Modern, the world's most popular modern art museum – and to care for that collection for future generations.' UK Arts Minister, Sir Chris Bryant said 'This spectacular donation of Joan Mitchell's masterpiece to Tate shows the amazing difference one person's generosity can make. I'm very grateful for this donation and for the work that went into making it possible. We are committed to ensuring art is for everyone, everywhere and the generosity of the Pérez family ensures that great art remains accessible to all, whilst also enriching our national collection.' Perez Art Museum Miami (PAMM), Downtown, Miami, Florida, USA. Formerly known as Miami Art Museum. Designed by Swiss architects Herzog and de Meuron. Jorge M. Pérez is an American businessman of Latin descent and Founding Executive Chairman of Miami-based real estate company The Related Group. Together with his wife Darlene, his efforts as a passionate collector and philanthropist have supported cultural institutions, organisations and individuals around the world. He has given or pledged over $100 million to Miami's public art museum, which was renamed the Pérez Art Museum in 2013. He also founded a not-for-profit contemporary art space in Miami – El Espacio 23 – dedicated to serving artists, curators and the general public with regular curated exhibitions, residencies and a variety of special projects drawn from the Pérez Collection. Mr. Pérez says that 'art is the heartbeat of every great city, with the power to inspire, unite and transcend cultural and generational boundaries. My family and I have always believed in the power of public art in enriching communities, and Tate has been instrumental in making art accessible to all. We are honored to contribute to that mission with this gift.' The Pérez's gift also includes a multimillion-dollar endowment to support Tate's curatorial research, given through the family's philanthropic fund, The Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation at The Miami Foundation (the Family Foundation). In the first 10 years since its 2015 inception, the Family Foundation has been dedicated to promoting sustainable, inclusive and just communities through its support of non-profit organisations and programmes. This endowment will help fund curatorial posts dedicated to work on African and Latin American art, ensuring that specialist knowledge of these regions continues to be embedded in Tate's work and integrated into future acquisitions, displays, exhibitions and commissions. Works by artist El Anatsui are to be donated in the coming years to Tate Modern by the Perez family. Additionally, a group of important works by artists from across Africa and the African diaspora will make their way from the Pérezes to Tate's collection over the coming years. These include Yinka Shonibare, El Anatsui, Joy Labinjo, Buhlebezwe Siwani and a significant group of photographs by Malick Sidibé and Seydou Keïta. This selection reflects the international nature of the Pérez Collection and the family's longstanding support of artists from the region. The gift also reinforces the growing strength of Tate's collection in this area and its commitment to expanding the canon of art history to become truly international. Tate Modern gallery and Millenium bridge in London, UK Iva by Joan Mitchell is on free display at Tate Modern from today. Tate Modern, Bankside, SE1 9TG Open daily 10.00–18.00 Admission free
