Art Talk: Phoenix Art Museum

May's museum highlight is the Phoenix Art Museum.

I live very close to the Phoenix Art Museum and it has been years since I went. For this post I went to the museum and went on a docent led tour, which was contemporary art. I will be sharing the museum through this contemporary tour.

First, Contemporary art is defined by "art made and produced by artist living today".

Let's go on the tour. There are 8 pieces that I will talk about and show you.

Mass (Cold Darker Mass)

This hanging installation is made of burnt wood, wire and string. You will notice it is in the shape of square which has very defined boundaries. There is also more mass in the middle and less as it reaches the edges.

Cornelia Parker
Mass (Cold Darker Mass), 1997
Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix Arizona

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Here you can see closer the burnt wood. This wood are the remains of a Texas church that was struck by lightening. In the museum's description we learn,

"Mass" suggests not only a spiritual gathering, but also the solids and voids that are the basic elements of sculpture.

The Last Scattering Surface

Another sculpture that is made up of pieces suspended in a very defined structure and hints to space. This piece is the first art work you see upon entering the museum.

Josiah McElheny
The Last Scattering Surface, 2006
Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix Arizona

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Monl ip

This very large piece of art is made of wood, glass and neon. The middle changes to different neon colors in a cycle. I saw blue and the pink and orange.

James Turell
Mohl ip, 2008
Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix Arizona

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Blue Hills

Very close to Mohl ip is a digital screen showing the art of Michal Rover. This piece is fascinating and I could watch the people walking for a very long time.

I included a video so you can see the people walking. This piece is made of a single-channel digital video (color, silent) and custom LCD monitor. The silence adds to the mystery of what the people are doing and where they are going and why?

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Michal Rovner
Blue Hills, 2018
Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix Arizona

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Marechal Floriano Peixoto

This painting was done by the American artist while he was in residency in Brazil. It is of afro-Brazilian men from the slums there. It is a very large portrait. I also learned that Kehide became famous when he painted Obama's official portrait.

Kehinde Wiley
Marechal Floriano Peixoto (from The World Stage: Brazil Series), 2009
Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix Arizona

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Wall Drawing # 1146c A sphere lit from the top

This is a graphite drawing on the wall of the museum. Sol LeWitt is an artist that explored the idea of conceptual art. Sol's definition of conceptual art is,

In conceptual art the idea or concept is the most important aspect of the work. When an artist uses a conceptual form of art, it means that all of the planning and decisions are made beforehand and the execution is a perfunctory affair. The idea becomes a machine that makes the art

This is such an interesting concept. One I have thought a lot about. Two of my modern favorite artists are Dale Chihuly and Frank Lloyd Wright. Both of which, especially in their later years had the idea or concept and other people made their art, glass and architecture, respectively.

Sol had the idea for this piece in the Phoenix Art Museum. He didn't have anything to do with the installation.

Sol LeWitt
Wall Drawing # 1146c A sphere lit from the top, 2005
Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix Arizona

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Upside Down, Inside Out

I was so excited to learn that this was done by the same art who did "The Bean" in Chicago. It has the same reflective qualities. It is made out of resin and paint and is super shiny.

While this is a striking piece I would have past it if the docent had not stopped and talked about it.

Anish Kapoor
Upside Down, Inside Out, 2003
Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix Arizona

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Here you can see my reflections both upside down and right side up better.

Here is a picture of Cloud Gate or "The Bean" from my trip to Chicago.

You Who Art Getting Obliterated In The Dancing Swarm of Fireflies

I saved this piece for last. It is really the reason I went to the museum. Last year for Art Talk I highlighted different artist and Kusama was one of them. I learned that Phoenix has one of 12 permanent infinity mirror room in the world.

Yayoi Kusama
You Who Art Getting Obliterated In The Dancing Swarm of Fireflies, 2005
Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix Arizona

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This piece of art is made with mirrors, and LED lights. The lights change colors and are hanging at intervals to look like little fireflies all over.

Art Talk: Yoyoi Kusama

I hope you enjoyed this contemporary tour of the Phoenix Art Museum. I am going to go back a few more times this summer and take friends. Museums are awesome! Especially when you knows something about the art or artist.

Sources:
Contemporary Art
Mass (Colder Darker Mass)
Sol LeWitt
Conceptual Art
Marechal Floriano Peixoto
Infinity rooms

Art Talk Series Highlights

2023
Theme: Museums
Art Talk: Rijksmusuem
Art Talk: Armstrong Browning Library and Museum
Art Talk: Musical Instrument Museum
Art Talk: Norsk Folkemuseum

Art Talk: 2022 Posts
Art Talk: 2021 Posts
Art Talk: 2020 Posts
Art Talk: 2019 Posts
Art Talk: 2018 Posts