I went to the press preview of the exhibit at the Guggenheim of Robert Motherwell's early collages. Susan Davidson, the curator of the exhibit spoke lovingly about this period in Motherwell's development as an artist. She noted that in this period, which covers about a decade from 1941-1951, he was probably the most connected to the materials he used. The materials include paper he bought on Canal Street--5 sheets for $1.50. And one of the reporters asked what one of the works was bought for--$150. Makes one wonder how to value the contributions of artists in our world. Today that collage would be worth . . . but what is the worth . . . it inspired me, so that is its worth to me.
Motherwell grew up on the West Coast, graduated from Stanford, went to graduate school at Harvard, and attended Columbia where Meyer Schapiro encouraged him to devote himself to painting instead of scholarship. Motherwell was influenced by his time in Mexico, he he had his first solo show
at Peggy Guggenheim’s Art of This Century museum/gallery in 1944. He lectured widely on abstract painting, and he founded and edited the Documents of Modern Art series.
In 1948, he began to work with his celebrated Elegy to the Spanish Republic theme, which he continued to develop throughout his life. Robert Motherwell died in Provincetown, Massachusetts on July 16, 1991.
Robert Motherwell: Early CollagesVenue: Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, 1071 Fifth Avenue, New York
Location: Annex Level 4
Dates: September 27, 2013–January 5, 2014
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