Saturday, May 12, 2012

Not to be missed: Mark Bradford

In May 2010 I was at the Crow Barn for two workshops - Best of Sets & Variables I & II and Sets & Variables III. If you've ever been in one of Nancy Crow's workshops, then you know how tired I was after week one.

Yet I went to the Wexner Center for the Arts in Columbus, Ohio and discovered the work of Mark Bradford. His inspirational work re-energized me and the second week went more smoothly.

I was back at the Barn again the following September and saw Bradford’s exhibition a second time. I enjoyed it as much as the first time and attribute my successes in Strip Piecing & Restructuring to that.

The exhibition toured and is now at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. I saw his exhibition for the third time.
Mark Bradford in front of Scorched Earth
Different venue, different art? Though I recognize some works, some are definitely new. Others may have been at the Wexner, but because of space, placement and order, I experienced them differently. I loved getting reacquainted. I was wowed again. Great works. Powerful show.

Don’t miss this! It has already been in Boston, Chicago and Dallas. San Francisco is the last venue. I’m going back for a fourth view!

Part of the exhibition at the nearby Yerba Buena Center for the Arts ends on May 27th (admission to this auxiliary venue is included). Otherwise the bulk of the exhibition ends June 17th at SFMoMA.

5 comments:

  1. Wow! Mark Bradford's creations are amazing! You're lucky to be able to see his work, and multiple times.

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  2. Connie, hop on the next plane to San Francisco! I'll meet you at the exhibit!

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  3. I too saw the Bradford show in Columbus and loved it!

    I'm looking forward to meeting you in SF next week.

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  4. I saw this last Sun.......my Mother's Day treat. I hadn't heard of him before, but when I saw his work on the SFMOMA website I knew I had to check it out! I was blown away!....and I plan on going one more time to take it all in again.

    Maureen

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    1. You've received a very special gift for Mother's Day!
      Bradford's exhibit ranks up there with Itchiko Kubota. Thank goodness for membership - I can see this again and again.

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