Press Release

MARC CHAGALL

PAINTINGS 1940-1980

NOVEMBER 11, 2004-December 8, 2004

 

Stendhal Gallery is proud to present a selection of works by renowned artist Marc Chagall (1887-1985). On view from November 11 through December 8, 2004, this exhibition features an intimate collection of oil paintings created during the last half of Chagall’s extensive oeuvre. Provoked by memories of his homeland and inspired by his surroundings in France, Marc Chagall Paintings 1940-1980 showcases the artist’s distinctive fusion of fantasy, nostalgia and religion into otherworldly images.

The Fish in the Village Sky, 1955-60, is one of many dreamscapes whose images recall the Russian village of Vitebsk where Chagall spent his childhood. In this painting, a fish soars through the night sky among sparkling stars to create a world both bold and childlike. In Peasant with the Rooster, 1970, Chagall’s characteristic use of reverberant color illuminates the canvas incorporating images of fantastic animals and shtetl life. Featured beside impressions from his youth are romantic portraits of France, including Landscape of Paris in Yellow, 1980, a depiction of the country he later chose to make home.

One of the most prominent masters of the Twentieth century, Marc Chagall’s paintings have been incorporated into the permanent collections of leading museums and institutions around the world. Major retrospectives of his work have been exhibited at The Museum of Modern Art, New York (1946), The Philadelphia Museum of Art (1985) and The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (2003). An exhibition of his work created between the years 1967 to 1977 was held at the Musée du Louvre, Paris (1977-78). A museum dedicated to the artist, Musée national Message Biblique Marc Chagall, Nice, France, celebrates his life and work.

On view in the project room will be composer Randall Woolf’s Women at an Exhibition (2004), a collaboration with award-winning filmmakers Mary Harron (American Psycho, 2000), and John C. Walsh (Pipe Dream, 2002). This twenty-two minute video explores the integration between painting and music and the limitless potential of the two disciplines to influence and inspire each other. Music and visuals in the composition were based on the Akron Art Museum’s permanent collection, with a focus on the portrayal of women as the subject matter in art. A live performance will take place at Carnegie Hall, November 17th, 2004. The opening reception will take place on Thursday, November 11th from 6-9 pm.

For further inquiries please contact Stendhal Gallery.

 

Harry Stendhal

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