I attended the preview of the Miguel Covarrubias: Drawing a Cosmopolitan Line this morning and hope you will take the time to experience this wonderful new exhibit at the Georgia O’Keeffe museum. The exhibition is available for viewing through January 18, 2015. General admission prices are $12 and New Mexico residents prices are $6. The museum is open daily from 10am - 5pm. Here’s a link for the special dates they will be closed.
In this blog, I will speak specifically to the galleries numbered 7 - 9. The other galleries have been available for viewing and are worthy of your time, but here I will reflect on my morning spent in this new exhibit.
Breathtaking…. Stunning…. Visually appealing… All of these and more describe the exhibit. The combined works of Miguel Covarrubias, Georgia O’Keeffe, Laura Gilpin; I could go on and on is really a sight that must be seen. The curators at the O’Keeffe museum have, once again, done an exquisite job.
As I walk into gallery #7 my eye is drawn center stage to an approximate 15 foot caricature of Georgia O’Keeffe on theatrical scrim that is a reproduction of Miguel’s “Georgia O’Keeffe; Our Lady of the Lily” which was in the New Yorker in 1929. Impressive! As my eye moves about the room, I see a wall dedicated to O’Keeffe’s paintings showcasing her connection to Miguel. My favorite is the “Machu Pichu” c 1957; so many variations of greens and blues on one canvas. As I look to the other side of the room I find Ms. O’Keeffe herself, perched on the roof of her home, in three different poses. All captured by Miguel’s wife, Rose (Rolanda) Cavarrubias, a dancer and choreographer who later became an accomplished photographer. I encourage you to take the time to read each description of the pieces displayed. Take note of the additional work by Laura Gilpin, Nicolas Murray, Edward Weston and Edward Steichen. It is quite the impressive collection.
As I move past the wall set behind the “large Georgia” and enter into gallery #8, I am struck by the stunning paintings created by Miguel. The oil rich canvases depict the lives of the Mexican women he has painted. The warm, rich colors used draw me closer to see the detail and the regal presence he has captured by the stroke of his brush. My favorite is “Vendedora de Flores” c 1943. Which will be yours?
Don’t forget to peer into the caricatures of “Twenty Centuries of Mexican Art at the Museum of Modern Art” and let me know if you are able to find Stieglitz and O’Keeffe amongst the many luminaries he has depicted in this fun piece.
Last, but certainly not least, I enter gallery #9 and see the Discovery and Conquest of Mexico, written by Bernal Diaz del Castillo. Not only did Miguel write and illustrate his own books, but he was commissioned to illustrate for others as well. For Miguel, the commission of his work for this book was one of the most important to him. Throughout the exhibit, there are various books including reproductions of his drawing and paintings. In this room, I also found various watercolors and inks on paper depicting his time in Bali. My favorite here is the “Legong dancers” c 1950-1957.
I easily spent an hour in just these three galleries and with so many more available to you, I suggest you prepare to enjoy a few hours at the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. It will be time well spent and is a colorful and educational way to enjoy your time in Santa Fe. Safe travels, Deb Swanson
