Mohan Samant
Highlights
January, 2002

 

Giacometti's Grand Finale in the Museum of Modern Art, New York.

A chance to observe the complete works of Giacometti as well as other well known artists such as Picasso, Pollock and de Kooning.

Under the directorship of Alfred Barr at the end of 1963, MOMA acquired one of my paintings which entitled me to an artist's pass to the museum. On Thursday, December 27, 2001, when we went to see Giacometti's grand exhibition, it seemingly looked invalidated when I tried to enter. Precariously I managed to get two tickets with the help of a gentle lady and landed into one of the greatest's shows of Giacometti's retrospective. It came to me as a creative aphrodisiac and enthused me into a vigorous artistic and thinking activity.
Woman with Blue Eyes #0201
Woman with Blue Eyes # 0201
After coming back to my own studio it took me 24 hours to reconcile with my own work and streamline my thinking process. Giacometti may be sometimes repetitious but his works are definitely great and overwhelming. There were half a dozen paintings by Picasso, Pollock and very few others in the exhibition next door that, compared to Giacometti's, were still powerful to look at. These works in the two exhibitions belong to the entire 20th century and they are still highly inspirational. Is there really a progression in art historically or is there a progression of an individual artist as he finds various inspirational sources within the range of his working processes or styles? The independent development of an artist throughout his life is the real progression. This becomes a contributing factor to the culture of that particular era.
Hukka-pani #0204
Hukka-pani #0204
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