“Gustav Klimt: The Magic of Line” and “Herb Ritts : LA Style Exhibitions” at Getty Museum 7/9/12
July 9, 2012
“The Magic of Line” is the first fully dedicated exhibition to the drawings of Gustav Klimt (1862–1918), and the 150th anniversary of Klimt’s birth (1862-1918). The drawings in this exhibition come mostly from the Albertina Museum, Vienna, which houses one of the most comprehensive collections of Klimt’s drawings. Klimt was one of the important figures of the International Modernism. His entire artistic outlet was based on drawings, which he practiced every day. He left approximately 4,000 drawings, and this number is believed to be only a portion of the total drawings he made in his life. In those drawings, Klimt developed his life-long themes of human suffering, longing for love and happiness, and the cycle of life from birth to death. I enjoyed studying how he developed from drawings to actual paintings. Also it was interesting to discover the strong influence of Japanese Kimono and Obi. The use of color and patterns in his paintings is very similar to Japanese textile, for instance Kyoto Nishijin-Ori.
Herb Ritts revolutionized fashion photography, modernized the nude, and transformed celebrities into icons. Through his hard work, and a distinctive and creative vision, Herb Ritts (1952–2002) made himself into one of the top photographers to emerge from the 1980s. He often used the bright California sunlight to produce strong contrasts. Ritts prefered outdoor locations such as the desert and the beach around LA and it made his works distinct from others, for instance NY artists. Ritts’s intimate and beautiful portraits and the nude, and his innovative sense in fashion gave him an international reputation. From the late 1970s until Ritts’s early death from AIDS-related complications in 2002, he created images bridged the gap between an art and commercial photos. I really don’t have any appropriate word to describe his beautiful works. His artistry, innovation, individuality, imagination, sensitivity, love, and perfection come all together in his works.
Those are impressive exhibitions. Please go to see them if you come to LA. The garden, architecture, and the view makes Getty Museum one of the best places to visit in the world.