Rodarte fashion show ends Sunday at NMWA

Rodarte Collection, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie

The eye-popping, incredible Rodarte exhibition of gowns and apparel, designed by the hot costumers of stage and screen, the Mulleavy sisters, will enjoy its last day at the National Museum of Women in the Arts on Sunday.

For anyone remotely interested in design, the combination of nature and costuming, fashion, creativity, and women's gowns, this is must-see. To miss it is to deprive yourself of one of the most spectacular shows in the history of the Women's Museum.

Rodarte Collection, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie

Rodarte Collection, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie

Rodarte Collection, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie

Rodarte is the first fashion exhibition at NMWA where the Mulleavys say they "are honored to be the first designers" featured.

The name of the house built by Kate (b. 1979) and Laura (b. 1980) comes from their mother's maiden name, Rodarte.
 
Sounds rather Italian, doesn't it?

These are dresses and slips worn by Kirsten Dunst in the Mulleavys' 2017 film, Woodshock. Rodarte Collection, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie

A slip worn by Kirsten Dunst in the Mulleavys' 2017 film, Woodshock. Rodarte Collection, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie

Rodarte Collection, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie

The museum's Fall 2018 issue of Women in the Arts  quotes Kate Mulleavy: "There is probably a little bit of California's natural beauty in every one of our collections," and Laura Mulleavy: "Nature inspires our choice of colors and the way we build garments" incorporating flowers and other natural plants and pieces found outdoors. 

Like Sean Scully whose Landline series stemmed from memories of his childhood in Dublin, Ireland and the natural lines of sea and horizon, the sisters credit nature and the outdoors where they played as children for the source of many of their creations.

The label copy reads:  "Horror films, a favorite cinematic genre of the Mulleavys, inspired this collection. For these looks, they undertook a laborious process of bound-resist dyeing in order to achieve the precise blood-red hue." Rodarte Collection, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie

Rodarte Collection, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie

Rodarte Collection, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie

Natalie Portman wore this tutu in Black Swan, 2010. Rodarte Collection, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie

Growing up, the sisters' stomping grounds lay between San Francisco and Monterey, and the two also had access to film production lots, another source of inspiration. Their college educations in art history (Kate) and literature (Laura) served as springboards to possibilities and adaptations, strengthening their inclinations to use natural elements and what lay around them.

Rodarte Collection, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie

Jill D'Alessandro, the guest curator from the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, wrote that when "Rodarte burst onto the scene in 2005," the house took "the fashion and art world by surprise with their deeply personal and conceptual approach to fashion design." 

Rodarte Collection, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie

Almost 100 creations spanning the life of Rodarte define the show with the most enthralling gallery, the last, the garden room, filled with florals and outrageous combinations and flaming colors.  It's rather like a giant dollhouse of science fiction, life size mannequins in a fairy land at the height of femininity.  Another world, adopting the station of womanhood and submission from centuries ago, to women dressed today romantically and idealistically to fit conceptions of what could be.

In the Garden Gallery at the Rodarte Collection, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie

In the Garden Gallery at the Rodarte Collection, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie

In the Garden Gallery at the Rodarte Collection, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie

In the Garden Gallery at the Rodarte Collection, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie

In the Garden Gallery at the Rodarte Collection, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie

In the Garden Gallery at the Rodarte Collection, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie

Shades of Vincent van Gogh's Starry Night and sunflowers at the Rodarte Collection, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie

Star Wars gowns at the Rodarte Collection, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie

 

Rodarte Collection, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie

Please, come and compare your impressions to mine and write soon.

Virginia Treanor, associate curator at the NMWA, assisted with production of the exhibition.

What: Rodarte
 
When: Through Sunday, February 10, 2019. The National Museum of Women in the Arts is open Mondays through Saturdays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sundays, 12-5 p.m.
 
Where: The National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20005
 
Admission:  $10, adults; $8, seniors and students; and free for members and children, 18 and under.
On the first Sunday of each month, "Community Day," there is no charge for admission.
 
For more information: 202-783-5000 or visit nmwa.org.
 
Metro stations: Metro Center (exit at 13th Street and walk two blocks north) or walk a short distance from McPherson Square.

patricialesli@gmail.com



 

Sean Scully has left the Hirshhorn

Sean Scully at the opening of Sean Scully: Landlines, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, D.C., Sept.12, 2018/Photo by Patricia Leslie

Dear All,

If the Trump shutdown or other reason caused you to miss the fabulous exhibit, Sean Scully: Landline, at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, please see images here of the show and of the artist who came to town for the opening and to talk about his art. 

The Landline series made its U.S. debut at the Hirshhorn after appearing at the Venice Biennale in 2015. 

Sean Scully with his Landline: Bend Triptych, 2017, private collection, at the opening of Sean Scully: Landlines, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, D.C., Sept. 12, 2018/Photo by Patricia Leslie

Sean Scully at the opening of Sean Scully: Landlines, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, D.C., Sept. 12, 2018/Photo by Patricia Leslie

According to the Hirshhorn, the "Landline paintings show Scully's transition away from his earlier hard-edged minimalism to his current, more expressive style, a style that no doubt elicits the beauty and brilliance of the natural world" which Mr. Scully conveys by watercolors, oils, and sculptures.

Sean Scully, Stack Blues, 2017, private collection, at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie 

Sean Scully, Landline Baltic, 2018, Landline Far Blue Lake, 2018, and Untitled (Landline), 2016, all loaned by private collectors, at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie

Mr. Scully is quoted at Wikipedia in a 2005 article by Joao Ribas:

I hold to a very Romantic ideal of what's possible in art, and I hold to the idea of the 'personal universal.' This is a complex agenda. My project is complicated in this way, and in that sense I'm out of fashion. I'm going against the current trend towards bizarreness, oddness; as you just called it, the 'esoteric', which of course was around in the 1930s. That's what is being revisited now. In between the two great wars, there was a very strong period, particularly in Europe, of a strange, bizarre, distorted and perverse kind of figuration, with freaks in the paintings. Very disturbing twins, subjects like that. These paintings were mostly coming out of Italy and Germany. Now we have a return to that—again in a strange period, after the end of Modernism.

 Sean Scully, Landline Blue Red, 2016, private collection, at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie

Sean Scully, Landline Orient, 2017, private collection, at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie

Sean Scully, Horizon Nine, 2013, private collection, at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie

Sean Scully, Landline 5.20.15, 2015, private collection, at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie

At his website, Mr. Scully outlines his life in years: He was born in 1945 in Dublin and grew up in a working class neighborhood in London. He attended Catholic schools and was influenced by the paintings he saw in parishes. As a boy, he wanted to become an artist.  

When he was a teenager, he became interested in American rhythm and blues and started a music club. He continues to love popular music.

Sean Scully with his Stack Colors, 2017, private collection, at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, D.C., Sept.12, 2018/Photo by Patricia Leslie

Sean Scully at the opening of Sean Scully: Landlines, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, D.C., Sept. 12, 2018/Photo by Patricia Leslie

Sean Scully at the opening of Sean Scully: Landlines, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, D.C., Sept.12, 2018/Photo by Patricia Leslie

Sean Scully at the opening of Sean Scully: Landlines, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, D.C., Sept. 12, 2018/Photo by Patricia Leslie

Sean Scully at the opening of Sean Scully: Landlines, with Melissa Chiu, Hirshhorn director, and  Stéphane Aquin, chief curator, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, D.C., Sept.12, 2018/Photo by Patricia Leslie

Mr. Scully attended art classes in London where he regularly visited Vincent van Gogh's Van Gogh's Chair (1888) at the Tate Gallery. Its "directness has a profound effect on the young artist," according to his bio.

 Vincent van Gogh, Van Gogh's Chair, 1888/www.VincentVanGogh.org

At age 21, Mr. Scully "decides to dedicate himself entirely to art studies" and continues art classes.

He was 28 when, at his first solo show in London, every piece sold, Four years later New York City was the venue for his first solo exhibition in the U.S.  In 1983 his 19-year-old son, Paul, died in a car accident, the same year Mr. Scully became an American citizen.  

In 2015 when the Landline series was featured at the Venice Biennale, Mr. Scully was honored by the Chinese as the first western artist to enjoy a major retrospective there.

Melissa Chiu, the Hirshhorn director calls him "one of the most influential painters working today" and curator Stéphane Aquin comments that Mr. Scully's style stems from abstract expressionism, "inspired by personal memories" of his growing up years in Ireland, especially his time, the Hirshhorn says, "looking out to sea."

Landline next travels to the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art in Hartford, Connecticut where it opens February 23, 2019. 

Sandy Guttman provided curatorial assistance at the Hirshhorn. A catalogue is available.

patricialesli@gmail.com

Tony Podesta's gifts to the Katzen

Nira Pereg, Five Calls (Sun Clock), 2015. American University Museum Collection, Gift of Tony Podesta who is above, in the left background/Photo by Patricia Leslie

Lobbyist Tony Podesta wants all his art eventually to be up in museums for the public to see, and we the people applaud opportunities to see it!  Thank you, Mr. Podesta.

For decades he has given his art to D.C. museums, and on January 26 at the American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center, Mr. Podesta was the star, surrounded by curators, artists, and a moderator on stage who came with several hundred to recognize the donations and the opening of a new exhibition, The Gifts of Tony Podesta.

Gyan Panchal, qqlos, 2009, American University Museum Collection, Gift of The Heather and Tony Podesta Collection/Photo by Patricia Leslie

It is the first major exhibition of Mr. Podesta's donations to the Katzen which are drawn from the museum's Corcoran Legacy Collection.

Curators Klaus Ottmann, chief curator and deputy director for academic affairs at the Phillips Collection, and Jennifer Sakai, an instructor in the department of photography at George Washington University, talked informally with Mr. Podesta at the event moderated by Jack Rasmussen, the Katzen director.

Let's discuss Katja Strunz' Form & Mal (in 7 parts)/Photo by Patricia Leslie

Katja Strunz, Form & Mal (in 7 parts), 2004. American University Museum Collection, Gift of Tony Podesta/Photo by Patricia Leslie

"I talk with many people about art," Mr. Podesta said at the beginning of the presentation. "It's not a formal process," and he uses no advisor. "I read a lot and travel around the globe looking for art." (He was headed to the art fair at Bologna and then to meet an Australian artist in Copenhagen for an opening.)
 
"I feel like I'm a steward of the works, and the most important thing is for people to see [the art] within a public institution. Every year I give away a lot of things."

Jake and Dinos Chapman, Rape of Creativity, 1999, American University Museum Collection, Gift of The Heather and Tony Podesta Collection/Photo by Patricia Leslie

When the Corcoran Gallery of Art closed in 2014 and the National Gallery of Art took over its collection, the Gallery curators decided to keep half of Mr. Podesta's gifts to the Corcoran and left it up to him to find museums for the rest.  
He contacted the National Museum of Women in the Arts, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, and the Katzen, which enjoys "the lion's share." 


"I thought the [Katzen] would be a good house for them," Mr. Podesta said, and he recruited Dr. Ottmann and Ms. Sakai as curators.

At the opening of Gifts of Tony Podesta, the Katzen Arts Center, American University, January 26, 2019/Photo by Patricia Leslie

At the opening of Gifts of Tony Podesta, the Katzen Arts Center, American University, January 26, 2019/Photo by Patricia Leslie

Ann-Sofi Sidén, Fideicommissum, 2000, American University Museum Collection, Gift of Tony Podesta/Photo by Patricia Leslie


Said Ms. Sakai:  "It was an exuberance of riches to go through." She curated the photographs, and Dr. Ottmann, the sculptures.  

Said Dr. Ottmann: "Tony is one of these very rare collectors, someone who is really not a trophy collector. He's in a private position where he can see so many wonderful works."  

Dr. Ottmann said he had known Mr. Podesta about 20 years: "Tony is an extremely generous donor. He likes to connect people, likes to connect artists. He does dinners at his house. [It's] an ongoing repertoire.
 
"It's a remarkable collection.
 
"Every time I come to Tony's house and I see things on the wall and I don't know what they are, I ask him.

"Museums today would be in a very bad place without Tony and collectors like him." 

From left, Tony Podesta, Klaus Ottman, and Jennifer Sakai at the opening of The Gifts of Tony Podesta, Katzen Arts Center, American Museum Collection, Jan. 26, 2019/Photo by Patricia Leslie

From left, Tony Podesta and Klaus Ottman at the opening of The Gifts of Tony Podesta, Katzen Arts Center, American Museum Collection, Jan. 26, 2019/Photo by Patricia Leslie

Brothers John, left, and Tony Podesta at the opening of The Gifts of Tony Podesta, Katzen Arts Center, American Museum Collection, Jan. 26, 2019/Photo by Patricia Leslie

At the opening of The Gifts of Tony Podesta, Katzen Arts Center, American Museum Collection, Jan. 26, 2019/Photo by Patricia Leslie

Most of the works in the show are by artists Mr. Podesta knows, "some [who] have become my friends," including sculptor Barbara Liotta, who with Ottonella Mocellin were the artists on stage.  Ms. Liotta said she met the collector 20 years ago when she was doing a show in Italy and Mr. Podesta swooped in and bought every piece.
 
"It gave me security," she said, and they kept in touch. "He kept on buying works from me and other Italian artists."
 
When she and her husband visited Mr. Podesta, "we were astounded by all the works. He's not afraid of buying the wrong thing."
 
Installing the sculptures at the Katzen was not always easy, Dr. Ottman said: "It was pretty challenging," and Mr. Rasmussen agreed: "It was a mystery at times." 

Said Mr. Podesta to audience laughter: "I had nothing to do with the installation."

Dr. Ottmann:  "I always try to create interesting dynamics betwen the works of art."  

Answering a question from a member of the audience, Mr. Podesta said he never tires of collecting.
 
It's "mostly Washington museums" he rewards.
 
Asked if he regretted not buying a particular piece, Mr. Podesta said: "There's always the one that got away. In fishing and in art." But nothing he may have missed keeps him awake at night.
 
"Everything will go somewhere." With his collections, he said, "I take everything down and put up fresh." 

Mr. Podesta recognized his brother, John, in the audience noting that the latter once represented a group of artists.

Other works in the exhibition are by Darren Almond,  Jenny Gage, Mads Gamdrup, Anna Gaskell, Margi Geerlinks, Siobhán Hapaska, Mwangi Hutter, Justine Kurland, Jone Kvie, Clare Langan, Malerie Marder, Ernesto Neto, Anneè Olofsson,  Nira Pereg, Patricia Piccinini, Torbjørn Rødland, Jenny Rydhagen, Janaina Tschäpe, Hellen van Meene, and Tom Waldron.

What: The Gifts of Tony Podesta

When: Through March 17, 2019, Tuesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: Katzen Arts Center at American University,4400 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20016
 
Admission: No charge
 
Metro station: Tenleytown on the Red Line. From there, take a free AU shuttle bus to the museum.
 
Parking: Free in the Katzen garage after 5 p.m. and on weekends.For more information: 202-885-2787

patricialesli@gmail.com

'Most Boring' Oscar goes to 'The Favourite'

If you waste your time and money on The Favourite, you'll be as sad as Olivia Colman who plays Queen Anne, center in the mobile chair. That's Rachel Weisz carrying a hot water bottle to soothe upset stomachs from engaging in this joyless, dull film by Fox Searchlight Pictures, Final 4 and Waypoint.


It's hard to believe that any movie can be more boring than the lame 2014 cat movie the critics loved, moviegoers hated and which dived at the box office, but The Favourite wins hands down.

Speaking of hands, Favourite wins the award for "Most Hand Jobs" in cinema.  I think it was during one of them that I dozed off for the sixth or seventh time, either then or during the 6,325 times the characters walked back and forth in the hallway which consumed about 45 minutes when all the marches are put together. (I searched for a photo of the march walk but, conveniently, the producers supplied none, probably because the actors made a culvert, and the set was destroyed.)

Speaking of, this has got to be the cheapest set in movie history since it varied none.  But, of course, the de rigueur bare breasts were present, and we almost got to see a naked man except no one would want to see that naked man whose body could be mistaken for a giant wrinkled can, not worth throwing a tomato at (AKA "blood orange").

Also, the F-bomb and (new!) the C-bomb (write and ask) play dominant roles.  

My former colleague, Ben, used to tell me that men love to watch lesbians go at it which explains why this yawning, fawning movie was nominated for Best Picture.  You gotta be kidding.  The only possible nominations should have come for costuming (Sandy Powell:  Why were the gowns so dull and repetitive?) and Best Supporting Actress (but she was nominated for Best Actress) Olivia Colman who plays Queen Anne.

You will thank me for saving you from wasting time and money on this monstrosity which infuriates me that I did. What does it matter that part of it is based on history? It's still horrible. 

Watch for movie takes on other films coming to this site, but none as bad as The Favourite (with British spelling included!). 

patricialesli@gmail.com