By Theresa Attalla and Alicia Kelso
Belgian contemporary artist Luc Tuymans' first U.S. retrospective exhibit was recently listed in the New York Times short list of must-see exhibits. Columbusites have the chance to experience it first.
The Wexner Center for the Arts premieres the artist’s work to the public beginning Sept. 17. The exhibit runs through Jan. 3. The Wexner Center is collaborating with the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) to showcase every phase of Tuymans' career with more than 70 paintings from 1978 to the present. The show will then travel to San Francisco, Dallas and Chicago before ending in Brussels, Belgium.
The exhibit was previewed to the media Sept. 16, including a tour through the work guided by the artist himself who mentioned he had exhibited in more than 80 shows, but this was the first time he felt comfortable enough to leave his paintings with other people - a credit to co-curators Madeleine Grynsztejn and Helen Molesworth.
Wex's director Sherri Geldin, a longtime fan of Tuymans, also had a big hand in solidifying the work's debut, and introduced the exhibit Sept. 16.
"Tuymans' work is perversely powerful, magnetic. It draws a line between the stark and sensuous, between object and apparition. This exhibit underscores the searing intellect and political awareness of his work - the reinvested notion of historical painting with contemporary sensibilities," Geldin says.
The exhibit is unlike shows the Wexner Center has displayed before and includes a number of influences Tuymans draws from. It is displayed in chronological order, beginning with work from 1978 through 2008, and features three different, concentrated series.
Many contemporary artists do not solely focus on paintings, but his exhibition only concentrates on the practice and is the first time in awhile that the venue has displayed the form.
Tuymans' paintings demonstrate his interest in photography, television and cinema, as well as explore the lingering effects of World War II on the lives of Europeans. His most recent pieces deal with the postcolonial situation in the Congo and the world events after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11. Tuymans often investigates issues of history and memory.
Because of his subject matter, many of Tuymans' pieces are deeply emotional. He calls his Gaskamer (Gas Chamber) piece the "most important." Painted in 1986 and presented as oil on canvas, the work upon first glance resembles an ordinary house with warm tones and a casual appearance. But upon further inspection, Tuymans admits his colors were purposefully chosen to resemble skin tones and the setting presented to expose the horrors of a Nazi gas chamber.
"Tuymans pulls no punches. He focuses on the anguish of a diseased body and the anguish of a diseased body-politic. He really paints primarily for himself and it's as though all of our lives depend on it," Geldin says.
Karen Simonian, director of media and public relations for the Wex, hopes the strong and familiar subject matter in the exhibit stirs up dialogue.
“Many of his paintings are full of tension and receive a lot of commentary,” Simonian says. “This is one show that will probably inspire repeat visits, as it's pretty intense and powerful.”
The exhibit is co-produced by the San Francisco Modern Museum of Art. SFMMOA Director Neal Benezra was also on hand Sept. 16 to introduce the exhibit and its artist, calling Tuymans not only one of the influential painters of his generation, but also one of the most influential artists.
“This is a chance to see a real international star at the height of his career - to experience his work and learn more about it and to be educated,” adds Simonian.
For more information on the Luc Tuymans tour, visit www.wexarts.org.