James McGarrell Themes and Variations August 5–October 30, 2005 What I call pictorial invention is nothing but memory, recombined and sprung into life by making colored marks. I occasionally draw from direct observation but I do not paint from it, nor do I use those drawings or photographs as source material in the canvases. I would never attempt an image of any phenomenon I have not experienced, however. Although this may make my paintings works of fictive imagination, they are not fantasy. — James McGarrell ames McGarrell had his back to the origins of the still first solo exhibit at the life tradition in the xenia—or JFrank Perls Gallery half a “gift of food”—as depicted in century ago. Since then, his the mosaics and frescoes of paintings and prints have ancient Rome. been shown in hundreds of In 1990 McGarrell was exhibitions in America, Europe, given an opportunity to deco- and Japan. rate tiles. The secrets of vitrified While he is an artist with white clay (porcelain, or china- an international reputation, his ware), often decorated with baroquely elaborate and multi- rich indigo designs, had been layered works—saturated with jealously guarded for centuries literary references, homages, in Asia, and only after years autobiographical tidbits, formal of trial and error were similar ploys, and visual conceits— The Large Vanitas with Holbein Quotation, 1999, oil on canvas, 61 x 80 in. formulas devised in Spain, Por- have persistently evaded both tugal, and Holland. McGarrell, formal categorization and the mass audience for art, for they restricting himself to one of the most ancient aspects of porce- demand more than a modicum of enlightenment and lain decoration—washes of cobalt blue on tiles, plates, and adamantly insist on more than a casual glance. vases—has turned it into a highly eloquent and personal means The viewer is rudderless, for example, without some famili- of expression. arity with the paintings of Henri Matisse, the novels of Vladimir What he gleaned from the experience of porcelain painting Nabokov, or the poems of Elizabeth Bishop when faced with was carried over into his practice as a draftsman and printmaker. McGarrell’s Young and Old portraits. This point is made abun- Orbiana Oliveto, a group of monotypes McGarrell produced in dantly clear by comparing the immediacy of Andy Warhol’s Italy in 2003, is derived from the Odyssey. The enigmatic and iconic Marilyn to the visual density and skeins of metaphors in romantic character of these chiaroscuro wash drawings is greatly McGarrell’s Grand Artificer, Young and Old (James Joyce). enhanced by McGarrell’s use of the rich indigo of his tiles. The And while many are dazzled simply by the visual extrava- images are a far cry from the classical reliefs and renderings we gance of The Great Palindrome Still Life and The Large Vanitas typically associate with Homer’s epic. In turn, their mood is met with Holbein Quotation, it serves the viewer well to know that perfectly by Rosanna Warren’s earthy poems. the Latin term vanitas vanitatum means “vanity of vanities” and The works in this exhibit provide a concise introduction to the vanitas still life is an allegorical reference to the transience the formal, creative, and intellectual character of McGarrell’s of life. Additionally, both of these heavily loaded images can be paintings, graphics, and ceramics, and give a clear indication of read as homages to a form of 17th-century Dutch still life paint- the complex, interlocking threads of his oeuvre. ing called pronk (literally, a display of ostentatious objects) that flattered the bourgeois Dutch collectors while also serving as a — John Arthur display of the painter’s skills. Further, McGarrell’s paintings point Guest Curator BRATTLEBORO MUSEUM & ART CENTER 10 Vernon Street • Brattleboro, VT 05301 • www.brattleboromuseum.org • Open daily except Tuesday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Works in the exhibit. Dimensions are height by width, in inches. James McGarrell–Themes and Variations was produced by Arts The Large Vanitas with 24 Porcelain Tiles and Plates Bridge for the Brattleboro Museum Holbein Quotation 1999 Courtesy of the artist & Art Center, Konstantin von Krusenstiern, director, and John oil on canvas, 61 x 80 Dancers and Pig, 1990, 6 x 6 Arthur, guest curator. The brochure Courtesy of the George Adams Dancers under a Skylight, was edited and designed by Judith Gallery, New York City 1990, 6 x 6 Bellamy Editorial Services. Copy- right July 2005 by the Brattleboro Roast Chickens and Beach Frolic, 1991, 6 x 6 Museum & Art Center. Printing Flying Carpet, 1991, 6 x 6 Pumpkin Squash 1997 courtesy of C&S Wholesale Print 1 1 oil on canvas, 22 x 24 Beach Kids, 1999, 11 ⁄4 x 11 ⁄4 Shop. Courtesy of the George Adams Drawing in the Ceramic Studio, Gallery, New York City 1999, 11 x 11 This exhibit is made possible by the generous support of Dressed Trout and Pregnant Bather and Infant, Cookout, 2003, oil on canvas, 16 x 16 in. 1999, 6 x 6 G. S. Precision, Inc. Celery Root 1997 oil on canvas, 22 x 24 Two in a Tub, 1999, 6 x 6 The Novelist, Young and Old 3 3 Courtesy of the George Adams Dog Trainer, 1999, 8 ⁄4 x 8 ⁄4 (Vladimir Nabokov) 1992 1 Gallery, New York City Island, 2000, 8 ⁄4 diameter oil on canvas, 80 x 60 Beachfront Frolic, 2000, 2005 Season Sponsor Courtesy of the George Adams Eggplants and Endive 1998 3 9 ⁄4 diameter Gallery, New York City oil on canvas, 22 x 24 Beachfront, 2001, 6 x 6 Courtesy of the George Adams The Grand Artificer, Young Tarmac, 2001, 6 x 6 Gallery, New York City and Old (James Joyce) 1993 Bathers, 2002, 12 x 12 oil on canvas, 80 x 124 Fennel and Porchetta 1998 Haystack, 2002, 12 x 12 Courtesy of the Jane Haslem oil on canvas, 22 x 24 Sonata, 2002, 12 x 12 Gallery, Washington, DC Courtesy of the George Adams Dancing Pair & Pets, 2003, 14 x 14 Gallery, New York City 10 Vernon Street The Poet, Young and Old Cottonwoods, 2004, 12 x 12 Brattleboro, VT 05301 (Elizabeth Bishop) 1993 Six paintings Grackles, 2004, 12 x 12 (802) 257-0124 oil on canvas. 80 x 60 oil on canvas, 16 x 16 each Cookout, 2004, 14 x 14 www.brattleboromuseum.org Courtesy of the George Adams Courtesy of the artist Movies, 2004, 8 x 8 Gallery, Philadelphia, PA Museum Hours and Bear Cage 2003 Piano Dancer, 2004, 8 x 8 Accessibility The Artist, Young and Old Cookout 2003 Stable, 2004, 8 x 8 Open daily except Tuesdays (Henri Matisse) 1993 Hay Barn 2003 White Cow, 2004, 8 x 8 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. oil on canvas, 80 x 60 Island 2003 The Museum is wheelchair Courtesy of the George Adams accessible. Reflection 2003 Gallery, New York City An ASL interpreter for the hearing Waves 2003 impaired will be provided if The Great Palindrome requested two weeks in advance Still Life 1998 of tours or programs. oil on canvas, 61 x 164 Museum Admission Courtesy of the George Adams and Parking Gallery, New York City BMAC members free Grackles, 2004, porcelain tile, 12 x 12 in. Adults $4 Seniors $3 Orbiana Oliveto, a suite of 19 drawings, each 22 x 30 Students $2 inches, made and printed in the monotype medium on Children under 6 free the intaglio press of the Ligurian Study Center for the Arts Parking is available in front of the and Humanities at Bogliasco, Italy, in March and April of Museum. Additional nearby park- Penelope’s Dream, 2003, monotype drawing, 22 x 30 in. 2003; with 19 short prose poems written to accompany ing is available at the Marlboro them by the distinguished poet Rosanna Warren. College Technology Center lot on Vernon Street. Courtesy of the artist Museum Shop Frontispiece Eumaios’ Hospitality Open during regular Museum Athena’s Visit Helen’s Divination hours, the Museum Shop features Nestor’s Heifer Telemakhos’ Bath an eclectic assortment of books, Penelope’s Dream Penelope’s Loom gifts, and note cards from local Nausikaa’s Linens Eurykleia’s Recognition artists. Eurymedousa’s Fire Slaying of the Suitors Group Tours Wine of Maron Lynching of the House Maidens Docent-led tours of the Museum Kirke’s Swine Laertes’ Supper for groups are available by Antikleia’s Shade Endpiece appointment. Call the Museum Oxen of Helios for information..