Magritte

by Gary Garrels

The enigmatic images of the great Surrealist Ren Magritte (1898-1967) are so powerful that they seem to define a completely new reality, where everyday objects and familiar situations are transformed in unexpected ways. Magritte's visual ideas are astounding in their variety and originality, and creative people ranging from philosophers to advertising executives have ransacked his art for inspiration. His impact on fine art and artists has been even more dramatic. This collection of key works, which accompanies a major retrospective opening at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in May 2000, is particularly notable because the paintings have been selected to show Magritte's influence on the art of the latter half of the 20th century. An essay by art historian Siegfried Gohr explores some of the major themes in Magritte's work, while more than 60 colorplates tantalize the viewer. 85 illustrations, 65 in full color, 9 3/4 x 12" SIEGFRIED GOHR is professor of art theory at the Hochschule fr Gestalthung in Karlsruhe, Germany, and former director of the Museum Ludwig in Cologne. GARY GARRELS is Elise S. Haas chief curator and curator of painting and sculpture at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. EXHIBITION SCHEDULE San Francisco Museum of Modern ArtMay 5-Sept. 5, 2000

Genres: Art

112 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2000

About the author

Gary Garrels is an independent curator who lives and works on the North Fork of Long Island. He previously held curatorial positions at the Dia Art Foundation, New York; the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis; the Hammer Museum, Los Angeles; the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; and the Museum of Modern Art, New York.

Reviews

[HeavyReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 2000, I visited my friend Keith in San Francisco. He took me to a show of Rene Magritte's work at SFMOMA. It was amazing! This is the catalog from the show, and it is also amazing.

I am a fan of surrealism, but I think Magritte is extra special. His pieces seem so ordinary, so representational until you give them a good look and realize..."What the Hell?!?" I have looked at so many of his pieces, which look both totally natural and totally impossible and I wonder "how did that happened?" Then I remember that in painting anything is possible.

[The Part-Time Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magritte's work was introduced to me by a friend in a yoga class; she's studying to be a docent and mentioned that Magritte was her entry into art years ago. The art is existentialist, questioning, and even a little unnerving if you think too long about it. That having been said, my favorite pieces were "The Human Condition" (1933) and "Personal Values" (1952). If you haven't explored Magritte or even picked up an art book (this was my first!), I would highly recommend both.