Photographer Rick Guy took all photos in this post.
"It's sheer beauty, a moment of sanctuary from the outside world." Such is how Executive Director Betsy Bradley describes an Impressionist exhibit at the Mississippi Museum of Art. The works of masters such as Monet, Renoir, Degas, Van Gogh, and even Picasso transform the museum's walls into murals of wonder rarely seen in Jackson.
Exhibit Information
Where: Mississippi Museum of Art on Lamar Street
Exhibit: Van Gogh, Monet, Degas, and Their Times
Cost: $15: person, $13: seniors, $10: college students, Free: 5 & Under, Free K-12 on T & Th
Members: Free. $50 annual membership, $60 annual membership includes one free guest.
Date of Exhibit: Now through January 10, 2021
Hours: T-Th: 11-7, F-Sunday: 11-5
Sponsor: Robert Hearin Foundation
Purchase tickets online.
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| MMA Executive Director Betsy Bradley, Degas' The Little Dancer |
Ms. Bradley said she wants to provide a mix of different types of exhibits at the museum. "We focused a lot on exhibits on Mississippi or issues relevant to Mississippians recently. The most popular exhibitions we've had in the past have been French art. It's a nice contrast to what we've been doing. This is exactly the kind of experience peoplare are looking for right now. People have been grateful to be here. I've seen tears going down the faces of some people," said the Executive Director.
Impressionism remains popular. Ms. Bradley said Paris became the center of the art world in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Impressionism was scandalous when it first appeared. David ruled the ruled art world decades after his time. Paintings were supposed to be realistic, an oil version of a photograph. Impressionism, as so many revolutionary movements are want to do, upset the French Academy apple cart.
The Impressionists used the power of light to alter how a painting is perceived. Light was used to radically change an how one views an object. Ms. Bradley said Monet painted twenty haystacks but every haystack lookois different because of how he used light. Lines became blurred, light became the focus. Instead of a painted photograph, the painting became an interpretation of what the artist saw. Art was no longer concrete and objective but instead became subjective as the Impressionists pushed the boundaries.
Impressionism coincided with the rise of the middle class during the industrial age. People had money to spend on art and did so. Funding for art became less dependent on courts and governments. The patronage of a Duc D'Orleans was supplanted by Vanderbilts and Carnegies. Art became democratic.
The pandemic obviously affected the museum since it closed for three months. Such a closure meant no revenue from facility rentals. The exhibit was delayed from April until July. Fortunately, corporate sponsorships and foundation support remained steady while the museum was able to obtain CARES Act funds.
The exhibit currently enjoys 100-125 visitors per day. Only 20 people are allowed every 30 minutes so social distance is maintained. Ms. Bradley said the policy suits many patrons as they prefer exhibits to be less crowded. Ironically, the exhibit almost did not make to Jackson. The exhibit was in Northern Italy and was shipped to Jackson just before the country shut down all travel due to the pandemic.
Next on the museum's calendar is an outdoor exhibition in the art garden. City in the Grass by Leonardo Drew will appear next year.
Kingfish note: Support the exhibit. Everyone gripes how there is nothing to do in Jackson. Well, now you got some true world-class art to enjoy. You can't go to football games. The remaining arts are either shut down or zoomed out in Jackson. There are few, if any opportunities to watch live music in person. In other words, this exhibit is about it for entertainment in Jackson and it will be here for nearly six more months.
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| Degas' At the Milliner's |
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| Monet's Irises |
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| Toulouse-Lautrec's At the Bar. The painting shows the torture that was Lautrec's life. |
19 comments:
KF, thank you for letting us know about this exhibit, which is great for Jackson and Mississippi. My wife and I will be attending.
This is valuable information. Thank you for sharing.
Laurel Mississippi's Mark Landis has done most of these works and donated his forgeries to art galleries across the U.S. and the art world never knew the difference. He claims he did the forgeries because he got addicted to philanthropy.
Check out the documentary Arts & Crafts .
He is the greatest art forger ever known and a really
interesting person.
These appear to be mighty fine paintings. Thank you for bringing them to our attention.
There will definitely be a trip for this. I haven't been to an art museum in awhile. I think MoMA in NYC is still my favorite.
Some years back, my mother, who was in her late 80s, volunteered at Palaces of St. Petersburg and she felt so important and needed. She could hardly wait for her time to report and was proud of Jackson and Mississippi. I still have all of her mementos and tokens of appreciation for her having served. We talk on a regular basis at the cemetery.
@4:33
My school made a trip to Palaces of St. Petersburg when I was in junior high.
At the time I was totally unprepared to appreciate what I was seeing. As an adult I read a bit of Dostoevsky and later Solzhenitsyn. I wish I had a chance to see it from the perspective of having read those author's work.
Put it out at the Zoo. We can look at a Van Gogh while we watch the animals
go.
So glad to hear this !
I'm glad the Museum could make this happen.
Not to be negative, but it's a miracle they pulled this off...
I thought all major exhibits were over after the late 1990's exhibition:
“Splendours of Versailles,”
http://splendors-versailles.org
Or the "Majesty of Spain: Royal Collections from the Museo del Prado & Patrimonio Nacional" exhibit during the early 2000's.
https://msbusiness.com/2001/07/majesty-of-spain-exhibit-needs-another-100000-visitors/
It was amazing that little Jackson, Mis'sip could beat major cities to host such exhibits.
But that was a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.
Anyway, congrats to the Art Museum !
One of many things you can thank Mr. Mounger for.
Better yet, thank Wade and Jimmy Creekmore!
Them too.
" Palaces of St. Petersburg"
Lord have mercy, that was another phenomenal coup over much larger cities !
I actually thought that exhibit was better than the "Catherine the Great" exhibit in Memphis.
My husband and I saw this wonderful exhibit last week. The art museum is such an asset to our city. Please support our museum and see these beautiful paintings. Masks are required.
All great comments praising the Art Museum and its exhibits and the major exhibits like the Palaces and in con ection Billy Mounger.
But they are two different entities - and not connected except that after the grand exhibits the MS Art Museum moved into the spaces used for the St zpetersburg et.al. exhibitions.
Mounger was a leader in the exhibitions and the organization, that arranged for and managed them. But that was not the MMA.
Both have been great things for Jackson; both have brought to the city some great exhibits. But just as the JSU Sonic Boom and the Jackson Symphony Orchastera both bring music performances to the city - they aren't the same operation.
Go see the exhibit - its everything KF says and more.
9:44 - Thanks for nothing. Was your effort intended to slam folks for mentioning structurally unrelated events? I mentioned Palaces simply because 'cultural things that come to town' are indeed connected, even though you don't seem to think so.
Somehow I can envision you now, clutching your pearls as you post: "two different entities", "Not connected except", That was not the MMA" and "They aren't the same operation". Actually nobody said anything about connections until you got up in your feels and felt obligated to 'school' us.
Thanks for letting us know. I will attend. I not only enjoy the museum, but I also enjoy sitting outside on the museum's grounds.
Recently went. It was everything the article said. Nice, quite, reflective place to get out of the heat and humidity. Today there are few things in Jackson to be proud of, but the museum is one. Really enjoyed the gardens, too. Had to laugh when we pulled up. None of the parking meters worked.
@4:33, Wonderful comment. Made me tear up.
This is is a treat for our city
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