While Columbus has a bevy of outstanding art museums to fill the palettes of art connoisseurs, venturing outside of the capitol can provide a fresh and exotic arena for art lovers. Without spending the fare to fly to Paris, or defying time with a DeLorean, art patrons can simply jump in the car for a quick trip to revert back to the psychedelic ‘60s to view Andy Warhol’s fabulous superstars, or view the portraits that King Louis XIV passed every day on the way to his dining room. Explore the art museums of the country’s heartland and experience a world otherwise unattainable.
OHIO
Cincinnati Art Museum
953 Eden Park Dr.
Cincinnati, OH 45202
513-639-2995, www.cincinnatiartmuseum.org
The museum will boast a can’t-miss exhibit, Rembrandt: Three Faces of the Master, from March 8 through May 21. Through a series of three self portraits, the exhibit shows Rembrandt’s progression from young painter to astute master.
The Louvre's Self Portrait and The Easel, a 10-by-10-foot of Rembrandt, will make its United States debut in the Queen City. The painting was highly regarded during its era and was once part of the private collection of King Louis XIV in 1671.
“We’re delighted to bring the exquisite painting to the Midwest,” says exhibitions curator Benedict Leca. “Unless you see it in Cincinnati during the exhibition, you’ll have to travel to France.”
While there, be sure to check out the gift shop, which sells numerous books on famous Cincinnati artists, such as Charley Harper and favorites like Ansel Adams. During the Rembrandt exhibit, a limited-time satellite shop will be set up selling the exhibit catalog for $14.95, along with Dutch-inspired merchandise.
Cleveland Museum of Art
11150 East Blvd.
Cleveland, OH 44106
216-421-7350, www.clevelandart.org
More than 280 spectacular examples of elaborately decorated suits of armor, weapons and paintings produced in imperial Austria will be on display for Arms and Armor from Imperial Austria, which runs through June 1. Pieces will be arranged in authentic battle field formation around an original 16th century tent.
“This is the last surviving, intact armory from the renaissance era. It is the same as it was in the 1500s,” says James Koniske, assistant director of communications at the museum.
Imperial-inspired jewelry, weaponry and figurines will be on sale at the shop during the exhibition. Upon conclusion of the exhibition, vinyl banners that advertised the works will be turned into book bags, briefcases and purses.
The Dayton Art Institute
456 Belmonte Park North
Dayton, OH 45405
937-223-5277, www.daytonartinstitute.org
As the “MacGyver” of musical instruments, Ken Butler has faceted musical instruments out of ordinary household objects, venturing far beyond the melancholy twang of the saw. A bike-seat banjo, a cowboy boot violin and a pitchfork cello are just a few of Ken Butler’s unusual creations of playable hybrid musical instruments. His creations have been featured on MTV and The Tonight Show. Ken Butler: Hybrid Visions also will be on display at the Dayton Art Institute, from May 31 through Aug. 10.
The Toledo Museum of Art
2445 Monroe St.
Toledo, OH 43620
419-255-8000, www.toledomuseum.org
Van Gogh’s Teacher: Anton Mauve
Feb. 8-April 6
Vincent Van Gogh had never laid hands on a paintbrush before studying under his cousin, Anton Mauve. Mauve instructed Van Gogh in the techniques of watercolor and oils, instilling a confidence his protégé that led him pursue a career in art. Mauve’s work is on display at the museum for an exhibit that runs through April 6. His pieces feature pastoral and domestic scenes, exploring the bonds between humankind and nature.
Extended label material throughout the exhibition reveals the bonds between Mauve and Van Gogh, through letters written by Van Gogh. Mauve’s progressions from sketches to paintings also will be displayed, showing the transformation of his initial sketch to the fully realized painting.
OUT OF STATE
Carnegie Museum of Art
4400 Forbes Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15213
412-622-3131, http://cmoa.org
Ecology.Design.Synergy Feb.23-May 25
A 2006 competition for a redevelopment plan in downtown Pittsburgh spawned the idea for the environmentally friendly architecture exhibition Ecology.Design.Synergy, which runs through May 25. Stuttgart-based architecture and engineering firms Behnisch Architekten and Transsolar Climate Engineering designed the winning redevelopment plan for RiverParc, a 700-unit housing development, which will serve as the key focus of the exhibition. The exhibition is organized around six themes – temperature, air, sound, light, material and human scale – each signaled by a different color in either a set of panels, illuminated tables and models.
The Warhol
117 Sandusky St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15212
412-237-8300, www.warhol.org
In Ron Mueck at The Andy Warhol Museum, through March 30, seven realistic human sculptures are on display depicting Meuck’s passion for model making. Among them is a woman lying in bed, a 9-foot sculpture of a naked, bearded man, and a miniature sculpture of a couple lying together.
Through May 4, Canis Major: Andy Warhol’s Dogs and Cats (and other party animals) will be on display, with images of pets and other animals that passed through the artists’ life. The mystery behind Cecil, the Great Dane that guarded the Factory’s doors from 1970 to 1987, will also be unveiled during the exhibition.
The Warhol Store, www.warhol.org, sells the widest available selection of Warhol books, posters and related materials. Also, every Friday, The Warhol hosts “Good Friday,” with extended hours, half-price admission and a cash bar.
The Detroit Institute of Arts
5200 Woodward Ave.
Detroit, MI 48202
313-833-7900, www.dia.org
The pyramids of Giza in Egypt and the stone statues on Easter Island are among the 60 black-and-white photographs of spiritual landmarks featured in Kenro Izu: Sacred Places, which runs from July 9-Oct. 12.
Japanese-born artist Izu’s travels have enabled him to capture beautiful photographs of ancient temples that have inspired people of many faiths for centuries.
A Buddhist, Izu captured captivating images of Buddhist and Hindu sites in India, Cambodia, Burma, Indonesia, Thailand, and China, and more. Many sites featured in the exhibition have never been photographed before.
Indianapolis Museum of Art
4000 Michigan Rd.
Indianapolis, IN 46208
317-923-1331, www.imamuseum.org
Intimate, hushed whispers emulating the sounds of blowing leaves or gentle wind will be emitted from hundreds of speakers and 12 channels of sound during the exhibition Julianne Swartz: Terrain, which runs through May 4. Swartz asked multiple subjects to imagine someone they felt tenderness for and to say what they would whisper into that person’s ear. Swartz has woven these comments so that visitors will hear abstract, yet noticeable moments of conversation, but will not be able to follow each comment in its entirety.
Also, from March 16-June 1, Breaking the Mode: Contemporary Fashion from the Permanent Collection, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, will be featured, displaying the work of Jean-Paul Gautier, Christian Dior and Issey Miyake and many more. The exhibition features 40 designers who have challenged the body’s silhouette, revolutionized garment construction, and revealed new technology in textile productions.
The Speed Art Museum
2035 S. Third St.
Louisville, KY 40208
502-634-2700, www.speedmuseum.org
Kentucky’s oldest and largest museum will feature Gee’s Bend: The Architecture of the Quilt through March 23. The brilliantly bold quilts on display were created in the 20th century by a group of women in Gee’s Bend, Ala. Because the community was isolated, the women crafted the quilts from whatever materials were available.
Also, through April 20, is the exhibit Medieval and Renaissance Treasures From the Victoria and Albert Museum. The 35 masterpieces include a rare notebook of Renaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci. These mostly small-scale pieces, including carved ivories, bronze sculpture, jeweled metalwork and works by Donatello and Pisano, were created for the church in the Middle Ages and for wealthy collectors during the Renaissance.
In between all those road trips, don’t forget that Columbus’ art scene is also on the map; and for good reason. Experience artistic nirvana without filling up the tank…
Columbus Museum of Art 480 East Broad St.
Columbus, OH 43215
614-221-6801, www.columbusmuseum.org
Children of European royals and aristocrats were pawns of their parents’ political endeavors. Little girls were betrothed to forge foreign alliances and young boys were thrust onto the throne under the guidance of judicious regents. The exhibition Great Expectations: Aristocratic Children in European Portraiture, through June 1, portrays the significant role children played in the political spectrum of the 16th through 19th centuries.
The collection of 40 paintings from the Jakober Foundation Collection in Mallorca, Spain includes portraits of Louis XIII of France, Louis XV of France, Charles I of England, and Charles II of Spain.
Wexner Center for the Arts
The Ohio State University
1871 N. High St.
Columbus, OH 43210, www.wexarts.org
Through April 13, the exhibit Solitaire: Lee Lozano, Sylvia Plimack Mangold, Joan Semmel concentrates on the collaboration of three artists who came of age in New York in the 1960s. Lozano’s paintings transform everyday objects – watches, hammers, razor blades – with his expressionistic style. Plimack Mangold’s paintings relay her view from inside her studio and Semmel explores the nudity of female figures and couples.
Beyond that, from May 10-Aug. 17, Jeff Smith: Bone and Beyond will showcase one of the country’s most influential comic book artist/writers through a selection of original drawings. Approximately 75 drawings will be displayed from Smith’s epic graphic novel Bone and from the DC Comics series Shazam.
Alexia Cameron is a contributing writer for Luxury Living Magazine.