It’s fitting that America’s first modern art museum, The Phillips Collection, should exhibit Made in the USA, a rich anthology spanning the enormous breadth of American modern art collected by Duncan Phillips. Made in the USA has already traversed the globe, having been viewed by over 300,000 people in Italy, Spain, and Japan.
Phillips’s contributions in the world of art introduced America to modern art. His vision to unite the panoply of eras and styles by displaying representative works in a single space is effectively achieved through the curation of this exhibition.
The first floor showcases the pioneering works of late 19th century American art. The exhibit then departs from realism, exploring abstract expressionism and Cubism, shown to be instrumental in establishing American artistic relevance. Later on, the exhibit features influences such as Buddhism, thereby exemplifying America’s diverse demographic landscapes.
The specifically sectioned movements facilitated the navigation of the otherwise confusing exhibition, and the full appreciation of the unique features of each piece.
Burial of a Young Man by Rockwell Kent was a particularly striking piece. Housed within the “Forces of Nature” category, the painting depicts a funerary procession with a stark white corpse being carried in the middle of the landscape. The grandiose mountains situated in the background, overhanging dark clouds and somber tones of grey and brown employed all contributed to a sense of deep gravity, as does its historical significance in the First World War. This piece of work was a reject of the 1918 Allied War Salon exhibition but was still treasured and chosen by Philips because it brought him comfort after the death of his brother.
In each piece’s description, there was an explanation of Phillips’ relationship with the artist: how they met, their relationship beyond the collector-artist dynamic, and even why Duncan Phillips appreciated and chose each particular piece.
I definitely sensed his omnipresent spirit within the exhibition space, and far from creeping me out, this made me feel as though I got to personally encounter Phillips’s character simply by viewing the art that he collected.
In Made in the USA, the worlds of art-making and art-collection collide. What results is a product to be proud of, proving century to century, fad to fad, it’s always a party in the USA.
Phillips Collection
Tues. thru Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Sun. 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Now thru Aug. 31, 2014
phillipscollection.org
$10
