Pop Art & Beyond: Tom Wesselmann

Still Life with Liz, 1992. Alkyd oil on cut-out steel ,72 x 96 inches © Estate of Tom
Wesselmann/Licensed by VAGA, New York, NY

Pop Art was inspired in the early 1960s by popular culture, advertising and kitsch.  Think about soup cans, pictures of iconic celebrities, comic book-inspired pictures and bigger-than-life billboard advertising. The artist Tom Wesselmann was a leading Pop Artist, and his peers included Warhol, Lichtenstein and Oldenburg, all of whom are represented in VMFA’s collection.

The museum’s permanent collection also includes an entire room dedicated to the Pop Art movement. In fact, two of VMFA’s own Wesselmann works are traveling as a part of the Pop Art and Beyond exhibition. The Wesselmann estate has loaned two additional works for permanent collection galleries so his work can be represented in the context of that important collection.

This show is a retrospective, which means it is an overview of an artist’s entire lifetime of work. Wesselmann made his mark as a Pop Artist, but his work continued to evolve throughout his career, and that’s what makes this exhibition so rich and informative. Retrospectives allow viewers to understand the complete artist, rather than to just see several of his works in isolation.

Color and scale have a dramatic effect on the visitor’s experience. Some of the elements are taken directly from billboard advertising, as the artist appropriated these elements of popular culture. But the art is also grounded in formal art history. Just like the Mona Lisa, many of his paintings contain a window with a curtain and a view to the world beyond. This artist had a creative vision which included rich, saturated color that shaped his work throughout his entire career.

VMFA always offers dimensional experiences for all age groups, providing many ways to deepen understanding and enjoyment of art. Adult lectures and classes, programs for teens and younger children, and free daily tours throughout the museum are offered. Amuse Restaurant and the VMFA shop allow the art to inspire their offerings as well, so you can appreciate Pop Art when you shop and dine as well! Find a list of related programs here: http://vmfa.museum/exhibitions/wesselmann.aspx

VMFA is lucky to have a magnificent building and over 40,000 members. And they are the only art museum in the US which is open 365 days a year. So don your beret and indulge your artsy side!

Blown Away by Chihuly

There’s a Chihuly glass ceiling at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, part of a mesmerizing sensory playground as soon as you walk into the hotel. That was my first experience with the work of glass artist, Dale Chihuly. I saw a second piece this summer at the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art in Virginia Beach, a twisting Dr. Seuss-like chandelier that’s captivating enough to have an airy room of its own. Each of these pieces took my breath away, but I was absolutely blown away by the new Chihuly exhibition at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

“I don’t know if something can be too colorful” reads a quote from Chihuly on one of the exhibition walls. If like me, you agree with the sentiment, you won’t be disappointed in the fairy-tale creations on display at VMFA through February 10. Mirrored floors reflect a rainbow of brightly colored glass balls and curling tentacles that appear adrift in a pair of boats. A glass ceiling reminiscent of the Bellagio invites you on a scavenger hunt for unexpected treasures, including a small, intricate squid. And the Garden of Glass, spanning the length of the largest room, sparkles and shimmers with flowers, ferns, rocks and reeds only found in a fantasy world.

Native American culture is featured in a space filled with straw-colored glass baskets, an early inspiration for the artist. The rich color in this room comes from patterned textiles covering one wall, but it was the depth of emotion in the simple sepia portraits of American Indians that captured my attention. Chihuly’s more nature-inspired side also shines through in an installation created especially for the VMFA in which dozens of sky blue reeds soar toward the ceiling, growing out of massive pieces of rough cut wood.

A walk through the dreamy world of Chihuly is a surefire way to brighten your day even if it’s already filled with sunshine. And when skies are gray and filled with rain, VMFA has the solution in their special exhibition shop – a vibrant, swirling Chihuly ceiling umbrella (if there are any left!)

Chihuly at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
Through February 10
200 N. Boulevard
Richmond, Virginia USA 23220
(804) 340-1400
www.vmfa.state.va.us

Carla Murray is Assistant Director of Marketing & PR for Maymont. She is a Richmond native and a Virginia Commonwealth University graduate. She lives in New Kent with her husband, two daughters, a dog, a cat and a turtle. Some of her favorite activities include letterboxing, long walks, Cirque du Soleil shows, wine tastings, reading novels, and spending time with family and friends.