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| Icarus, plate VIII from Jazz, 1943, Matisse, DIA |
When I was 14 years old, I took my first French class in high school. I really don't remember that much about the class or even the name of my French teacher. What I do remember though is the artwork on the front of my textbook. It was called "Icarus" by the French artist Henri Matisse. Funny the things you remember years later. They say that in life, we don't remember days, we remember moments and that book cover is as fresh in my memory now as it was back then.
On Tuesday, I was able to see Matisse's "Icarus" up close during a media event at the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) to kick off their new exhibition called "Picasso & Matisse: The DIA's Prints and Drawings." This exhibition is being funded with support by Detroit's own Comerica Bank.
The DIA owns all 110 objects in this exhibition with 82 of the objects given to the museum by just two donors. As you enter the exhibit, the Picasso artwork will be on the left side of the room and Matisse artwork on the right.
Picasso and Matisse were friends, colleagues, and rivals for half a century. They were both ground-breaking visionaries who constantly experimented with techniques and materials. They were both artists that could do it all - drawing, printmaking, painting, sculpture, and decorative arts. In 1907, Picasso was vying with Matisse for leadership of the Parisian avant-garde art world but both men came to that position via very different routes.
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| Woman with Hairnet, Lithograph, 1949, Picasso, DIA |
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| The DIA has magnifing glasses available so you can view the details of the art |
Pablo Picasso (1881 - 1973) began creating art when he was only seven years and by the age of 19, he was an established artist and a favorite of prominent collectors and established entrepreneurs.
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| Jacqueline in a Flowered Hat, Linoleum cut, 1962, Picasso, DIA |
Picasso is without a doubt best known for his revolutionary fractured studies of form and space known as Cubism that changed attitudes about perception and vision and helped make Picasso one of the fathers of modern art.
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| Primavera, Linoleum cut, 1938, Matisse, DIA |
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| Nadia, Serious look, Aquatint, 1948, Matisse, DIA |
Henri Matisse (1869–1954) was born to a prosperous business family in northern France. He earned a law degree in Paris and was practicing back home as a court assistant when he decided to change careers. He left for Paris to become an art student and by 1896 his work was in major Parisian exhibitions.
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| Henri Matisse's Jazz project, 1943-47, DIA |
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| The Nightmare of the White Elephant, plate IV from Jazz, 1943, Matisse, DIA |
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| The Circus, plate II from Jazz, 1943, Matisse, DIA |
“We have such a rich collection of modern art, and are delighted to showcase nearly all our significant works by Picasso and Matisse,” said Graham W. J. Beal, DIA director. “In the early years of the 20th century, these two seminal artists engaged in a fierce rivalry, each trying to out-do the other and be seen as the premier Modern artist of the time. Once established, they went their separate, equally prolific, ways but continued to watch one another’s development from afar, this time, more in the spirit of a mutual admiration shared by seasoned veterans.”
Going through the exhibition, I liked that the DIA staff were very thoughtful about those who will be viewing the art. There are couches setup were people can take a break and lounge while viewing art books by both Picasso and Matisse. And there is a table setup where the DIA gives the art viewers the opportunity to draw their own art and leave it to be part of an album.
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| Photo Credit: Paul Sancya |
"Picasso and Matisse: The DIA’s Prints and Drawings" will be on display from Wednesday, July 11, 2012–Sunday, January 6, 2013.
DIA Museum hours are 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m.–10 p.m. Fridays, and 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for seniors, $4 for ages 6-17, and free for DIA members. For membership information call 313-833-7971.
CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL 37 OF MY PHOTOS FROM THE DIA'S PICASSO & MATISSE EXHIBITION
One (1) FREEISMYLIFE reader will win a family 4 pack of tickets to the DIA so you can view the Picasso and Matisse Exhibition for FREE courtesy of Comerica Bank !!! HOLLA!!!!
TO ENTER
- Fill out the information in the form below.
- One entry form per person please. Duplicate entries will be removed.
- USA addresses only.
- The contest ends on Thursday, July 19, 2012 at 11:59 am EST.
- One winner will be selected by random number generation.
- You must live within driving distance of the DIA to win this giveaway.
- Tickets will be fulfilled to winner by Comerica Bank or their PR company.
(6) EXTRA GIVEAWAY ENTRIES
- You can get 1 extra giveaway entry for following Detroit Institute of Arts on Facebook.
- You can get 1 extra giveaway entry for following FREEISMYLIFE on Facebook.
- You can get 1 extra giveaway entry for following DIA on Twitter.
- You can get 1 extra giveaway entry for answering the DIA Art question at this link.
- You can get 1 extra giveaway entry for tweeting the following message on Twitter "I entered to WIN 4 tickets to @DIADetroit Picasso/Mitesse Exhibit on @FREEISMYLIFE sponsored by Comerica http://bit.ly/NjXrmq "
Random.org has spoken! Out of 136 entries, Random.org has picked #12. Congratulations to the winner of the family 4 pack of tickets to the Detroit Institute of Arts to see the new Picasso and Mitesse Exhibit - Tanina M. of Detroit, MI!!!
Enjoy!
Disclosure: I viewed the new Picasso and Mitesse Art Exhibition at the DIA as part of a media event. Comerica is sponsoring the tickets for the giveaway. All opinons are my own.
