The Metropolitan Museum and The Museum of Modern Art have brought out a pair of shows that are at once low key and extreme in the approaches in use or via the work that is presented. I’m speaking specifically of Van Gogh and the Colors of Night and Giorgio Morandi, 1890 – 1964.
Lets start with the “easy” show first. Van Gogh and the Colors of Night seems at first blush to be a blockbuster for the fall season to set up a gift shop to make a ton of dollars and make everyone feel really inspired about the trouble that Van Gogh had in his life. Well, sorry to disappoint, but this is a show without a reference to alcoholism, insanity, his “friendship” with Gauguin, or even his ear. What? it is a small show maybe 30 pieces of art, 1/3rd of which are drawings, its a quiet intense and thematically tight show.
There is a thought that goes like; some people paint the same picture their whole life. While some people continue to search for new things at every turn. Then there is the exception that proves the rule. That exception is Giorgio Morandi. The met has put together a collection that will take repeated viewings to fully grasp the subtleties of this show of primarily the same basic approach and really the same image. If your love is Damien Hirst, this show is not for you.
In an age where I’ve started to feel that The Met and MoMA (MoMA more so) have started to give short thrift to the classic ideas of modern art versus the impact, glamor and curatorial punch of contemporary art it is stunning to me that these shows, as different as they are, are as powerful and complex as anything I’ve seen lately.