2008 Woodie Awards
New and Old Come Together at the Phillips
Tierney Sneed
Issue date: 2/27/08 Section: Arts and Entertainment
The sprawling halls and galleries of the National Gallery of Art can be intimidating to even the most enthusiastic of art lovers. For a more intimate viewing experience, one needs to do no more than take a charming twenty-five minute stroll (or a 10 minute GUTS bus ride) down P Street to the Phillips Collection, situated at 21st and Q Street in the Dupont Circle area. The museum, which inhabits the elegant mansion of founder Duncan Phillips, features a small but impressive array of American and European art from the last three centuries. Although the $10 student admission price seems steep compared to the free Smithsonian museums, the gallery is well equipped with a knowledgeable staff and a lovely atmosphere. Admission is also free half an hour before closing.
Now on view at the museum is Degas to Diebenkorn: The Phillips Collects, highlighting a selection of new pieces acquired in the last decade. With 100 of the new 400 pieces on view, the exhibit reflects the gallery’s “quality over quantity” approach to collecting. It displays American and European works from the 19th through the 21st centuries. Within the collection, one will find a myriad of fascinating pieces, from the bright and colorful sculptural prints of Elizabeth Murray, to the dramatic landscape photography of Ansel Adams.
While some of the works on view are by famous artists, such as the elegant “Dance Rehearsal in the Studio” by Edgar Degas and the sleek sculpture wire “Hollow” by Alexander Calder, the exhibition features 28 artists new to the gallery, such as Stuart Davis and Paul Klee. The show also represents the museum’s quickly growing collection of photography, with an entire salon showing the photographs of Minor White and Aaron Siskind, among others. Additionally, it displays a number of living artists, like William Christenberry and Ellsworth Kelly, continuing the late Duncan Phillips’s wish to encourage an active participation in the contemporary art world.
The exhibit is arranged masterfully. Although many of the neighboring works are of entirely different eras and in different mediums, seeing one next to another brings about refreshing and clever insights. For instance, “Five Rows of Sunglasses”, painted by Wayne Theibaud in 2000, sits next to Jasper John’s 1967 work, “The Critic Sees.” Both pieces depict similar kitschy eye glasses. However, Theibaud’s whimsical and colorful oil painting serves as a dramatic contrast to the stark whiteness of John’s allegory for the critical method. Additionally, in the photography gallery, icon Edward Weston’s photographs face those of his son Brett.
One of the most convenient and enlightening aspects of the exhibition is the cell phone tour. Instead of fumbling around with a bulky audio player, one may simply dial his or her cell phone to hear more about a number of the pieces. In addition to the curator’s introduction, listeners can hear the sentimental recollections of a few of the featured donors. Even some of the artists themselves, including David Bates and Susan Rothenberg, have a say in explaining their paintings, an opportunity possible only due to the contemporary nature of the exhibit.
Degas to Diebenkorn: The Phillips Collects offers a wide variety of techniques and mediums that appeal to all different tastes. This includes the abstract expressionism of Hans Hoffman, the tranquil watercolors of Lyonel Feininger, the daring lithographs of Paul Klee, and the classic American modernism of Bill Jensen. It also exposes even the most knowledgeable art connoisseur to an array of unfamiliar artists that may well become household names in the future. It is only a short walk to the Phillips Collection’s equally impressive permanent collection to see the works of the artistic giants who inspired them.
The Phillips Collection is located at 1600 21st Street, NW off Metro Red Line at Dupont Circle (Q Street Exit).
Sneed is an Arts and Sciences freshman.
Now on view at the museum is Degas to Diebenkorn: The Phillips Collects, highlighting a selection of new pieces acquired in the last decade. With 100 of the new 400 pieces on view, the exhibit reflects the gallery’s “quality over quantity” approach to collecting. It displays American and European works from the 19th through the 21st centuries. Within the collection, one will find a myriad of fascinating pieces, from the bright and colorful sculptural prints of Elizabeth Murray, to the dramatic landscape photography of Ansel Adams.
While some of the works on view are by famous artists, such as the elegant “Dance Rehearsal in the Studio” by Edgar Degas and the sleek sculpture wire “Hollow” by Alexander Calder, the exhibition features 28 artists new to the gallery, such as Stuart Davis and Paul Klee. The show also represents the museum’s quickly growing collection of photography, with an entire salon showing the photographs of Minor White and Aaron Siskind, among others. Additionally, it displays a number of living artists, like William Christenberry and Ellsworth Kelly, continuing the late Duncan Phillips’s wish to encourage an active participation in the contemporary art world.
The exhibit is arranged masterfully. Although many of the neighboring works are of entirely different eras and in different mediums, seeing one next to another brings about refreshing and clever insights. For instance, “Five Rows of Sunglasses”, painted by Wayne Theibaud in 2000, sits next to Jasper John’s 1967 work, “The Critic Sees.” Both pieces depict similar kitschy eye glasses. However, Theibaud’s whimsical and colorful oil painting serves as a dramatic contrast to the stark whiteness of John’s allegory for the critical method. Additionally, in the photography gallery, icon Edward Weston’s photographs face those of his son Brett.
One of the most convenient and enlightening aspects of the exhibition is the cell phone tour. Instead of fumbling around with a bulky audio player, one may simply dial his or her cell phone to hear more about a number of the pieces. In addition to the curator’s introduction, listeners can hear the sentimental recollections of a few of the featured donors. Even some of the artists themselves, including David Bates and Susan Rothenberg, have a say in explaining their paintings, an opportunity possible only due to the contemporary nature of the exhibit.
Degas to Diebenkorn: The Phillips Collects offers a wide variety of techniques and mediums that appeal to all different tastes. This includes the abstract expressionism of Hans Hoffman, the tranquil watercolors of Lyonel Feininger, the daring lithographs of Paul Klee, and the classic American modernism of Bill Jensen. It also exposes even the most knowledgeable art connoisseur to an array of unfamiliar artists that may well become household names in the future. It is only a short walk to the Phillips Collection’s equally impressive permanent collection to see the works of the artistic giants who inspired them.
The Phillips Collection is located at 1600 21st Street, NW off Metro Red Line at Dupont Circle (Q Street Exit).
Sneed is an Arts and Sciences freshman.
Be the first to comment on this story