Museum Puri Lukisan

Downtown Ubud is very busy, even in off-season May. Museum Puri Lukisan is an island of tranquility on Jalan Raya Ubud. The museum has several pavilions set in lovely gardens. We spent most of the day at the museum, having morning tea and lunch.

There was a special exhibition of miniaturists from the village of Keliki Kawan. Most of the adults in the village are artists. One of the striking paintings tells the story of Bhima Swarga from the Mahabharata. Bhima travels to hell to rescue the souls of his parents and sees many punishments in hell. Reminiscent of medieval art, such as the Last Judgment from Hieronymus Bosch

Here are some details:

Chinati Foundation, Marfa, Texas, December 2015

The Chinati Foundation holds key works of art from Donald Judd, Dan Flavin and others. In the 1970s, Donald Judd acquired the former  Fort D. A. Russell in Marfa to house his work and work of his friends. The buildings of the fort have been converted as exhibit spaces. The work can only be seen with a docent -- we spent three hours at the Fort and at the Foundation's space in the downtown of Marfa. Truly amazing.

At the foundation, there are 15 untitled works in concrete, 1980-1984. You walk to see the works in their natural setting. The other works cannot be photographed.

Main offices at the Foundation

Part of the Fort

15 untitled works in concrete, 1980-1984

15 untitled works in concrete, 1980-1984

15 untitled works in concrete, 1980-1984

15 untitled works in concrete, 1980-1984 from a distance

Marfa, Texas, December 2015

In West Texas, we stopped at Marfa, which is an amazing little town filled with more than 20 art galleries. We knew nothing of Marfa but friends recommended it and we were very pleased to stop there for five nights. There is so much to do in the town and the area. I would love to return. Here is some of the cityscape.

The courthouse at night. 

The Ayn Foundation

Palace Theater

Courthouse

Sherrif

Hotel Paisano

Contemporary Art in Dallas,Texas 2015

We spent a pleasant afternoon visiting galleries in Dallas. The warehouse district between the city and the Trinity River has become a mecca for local artists and galleries. Dallas is pretty cheap for artists to live and there is (I imagine) a good source of support in the local wealthy community.

First up was the Dallas Contemporary, which is a large old warehouse structure that has been converted into a flexible space.

Adriana Varejão from Brazil does tremendous work .. in three distinct series. I particularly loved the large landscape works, which are almost in 3D, with the surface of the earth projecting from the canvas. Very striking. There were a couple of other important exhibitions at the Contemporary, including striking photographs from Synchrodogs.

Color Wheels

Colored portraits

Landscape?

Photography from Synchrodogs

A series from the USA

Then on to several galleries. Of particular interest was the exhibition at Circuit12 Gallery. We were both taken with the work of Matthew Zefeldt in a group exhibition.  He is a young artist who brings together traditional art forms of oil painting and the digital. All is paintings are done by hand in oil, but seem on first view to be a digital collage. Just really funny and challenging. I was surprised that they had not sold.

Matthew Zefeldt

Matthew Zefeldt

Museum District, Houston, December 2015

One of the great things about Houston is that all the (many) major museums are within walking distance -- or at least, they are in a few minutes by car. We visited the Menil Collection, the Contemporary Arts Museum and the Asia Society Texas Center on different days. The Menil Collection was funded by the de Menil family with oil wealth. It has a stupendous collection of surrealist art and modern American art. Unfortunately, no photographs are allowed, so look up their website. The main building is by Renzo Piano and a striking example of his typical pavilions (and see my post on Fort Worth for another pavilion).

The Contemporary Arts Museum had an exhibition of contemporary Texas design, which was lively and challenging. Who knew there was such as thing as contemporary Texas design!?

And the   Asia Society Texas Center is in a relatively new building by Yoshio Taniguchi, who did the renovation of MOMA in NYC. The Center had an exhibition of contemporary art from Asia which was nothing less than stunning.

Cambodian artist Sopheap Pich works in rattan

The building

Seon Ghi Bahk works with charcoal, strung on nylon line from the ceiling. I have seen nothing like it. You have to stand and look at these works for quite some time.

Cambodian artist Sopheap Pich works in rattan

Mineko Grimmer’s sculptural sound installations

Every 11 minutes, the pond on the second level has mist .. adds a mystical flavor to the building

National Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis, TN, November 2015

Of the many museums and galleries that we have visited on this trip, the National Ornamental Metal Museum in Memphis must be the most unusual. As the name suggests, the museum is devoted only to works in metal. It is set in several old mansions, looking down on the Mississippi River. They typically have one exhibition as well as items from the permanent collection. 

The featured artist was Linda Threadgill, who makes the most beautiful ornamental items and jewelry. She works in silver and gold, primarily. To be seen to be believed.

The ornamental gates of the museum

A chalice

Menorah

Dixon Gallery and Gardens, Memphis, November 2015

We visited the Dixon Gallery and Gardens when in Memphis. This is a private gallery, in the house. The gallery has a collection of (at least what it seemed to me) pretty ordinary US impressionist art. What was stunning was the exhibition or massive ceramic sculptures from Jun Kaneko in the garden. Kaneko is a Japanese American sculptor who has his studio in Omaha, Nebraska. 

There was a particular connection for us with this art as there are four of his pieces in the courtyard at the Honolulu Museum of Art, so we immediately recognized  the work.