Josef Albers

Josef Albers Painting on Paper

Perrin Drumm on the 'freedom and sensuality' of a new show at the Morgan Library and Museum in New York

There's a nicely reflective piece by Perrin Drumm on the wonderful Core77 blog right now. In it Drumm takes a look at the Josef Albers show at The Morgan Library & Museum, Josef Albers in America: Painting on Paper.

In a by no means always complimentary piece, the writer applauds the Morgan Library & Museum's excellent job of exhibiting finished work side by side with evidence of the "artistic process and the often surprising, experimental drafts that lead to a finished work of art." 

Like the Morgan's previous exhibition of neon artist Dan Flavin's drawings, he argues, Albers' sketches "provide important insight into his working methods and, in contrast to the austerity and strict geometry of the finished paintings, these vibrant sketches are remarkable for their freedom and sensuality." They also show just how many hours of sketching and drafting go into what might strike many as simple, straightforward paintings." Good point well made. You can read it here.

If you're an Albers fan you might be interested in our book Josef Albers: To Open Eyes Now. It reveals Albers' formative philosophies on art, life and the nature of perception through first-hand accounts of more than 150 students and colleagues the Bauhaus and Black Mountain College legend taught and worked with over more than 40 years.