The question, “What does it mean?” replaced the older, “What does it look like?” when the modern age took hold. Three galleries at the ADAA (Art Dealers Association of America) art fair, featured artists who managed to balance the era’s cutting edge theory with their own very personal imagery.
Richard Diebenkorn, seen at Greenberg Van Doren, was a mid-century player who broke from the pack to cut a gentle path through the aggressive world of Ab Exers. The featured work reveals his efforts to adapt to the trends of his age, and the ultimate success of his style as seen in his later work.
At L&M Arts, Joseph Cornell, a self-taught artists used emerging trends, but sparingly. His boxes, collages, and toys still captivate us with their mysterious combination of elements. Cornell style evolved, but he never really fit in to any of the changing trends like expressionism, Pop, or conceptualism. As a result, his vision was never unfashionable, and continues to inspire visual artists, as well as musicians, poets, and film makers.
Milton Avery is another semi-self-taught artist who stood his ground. Represented by Knoedler and Company, Avery is referred to as the American Matisse. Though he was not an originator, his figures do attest to his graphic sensibilities, and perhaps more importantly to his sense of humor. In a century ravaged by war and hardship, Avery leaves us with a picture of life’s quieter, happier moments.
Ideas are the foundation of modern art, but when they fall short, they prove the point that personal vision survives as the heart and value of art.
by Julia Morton
