CUBIST COLLAGE AND MATIERE STUDIES
A Couple of years ago while visiting New York, I had a peak art experience that was completely serendipitous. As usual, I was a hectic mess running around town trying to fit in a "to see" list in my short visit to New York. The day before I left to go home, I had two things on my agenda: to see a show at the Moma of Picasso's guitar drawings and then, right after, go to the Paul Taylor Dance Company performance of his classic choreography, Orbs. As it turned out, the drawing exhibit and dance performance were both concerned with a similar endeavor of deconstructing the object into simplified lines, planes in space, locating iconic forms and dismantling of the "classical" approach to art. The rigor of Picasso's drawings was amazing. As I walked through the exhibit, I could see his almost visceral struggle to wrench form from it's moorings in order to privilege the surface of the picture plane. The marks, textures, planes and spacial relationship became paramount to the "image" or "picture." At some point, I was so emotionally overcome with his efforts, I had to race out of the galleries and take a break! The same urgency of finding new form existed in the Paul Taylor piece. I hadn't expected to see similarities in the two, but it left for a lasting impression. In any event, this was the inspiration for this assignment. Study and read the interactive MOMA website before you start the project. Also, read the review of the performance I saw, which I will hand out in class & watch Youtube Taylor performance before you begin. Sadly, I couldn't find Orbs, but feel free to explore his work and, by the way, the company usually performs at the Zellerback Hall every year.
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