Fort Worth, TX, Oct. 27, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth presents FOCUS: Marina Adams, on view November 6 through January 10. Contemporary artist Marina Adams will show seven energetic abstract paintings from the past four years that are immersive in scale, as well as several recent small-scale gouache-on-paper works from her New York series. Adams explores the relationship between color and shape in her acrylic-on-linen paintings, where organic forms of solid color abut and interlock. Her work balances organization and improvisation; she sketches out her compositions before she paints, but there is an immediacy made obvious by loose, confident brushstrokes, where drips and bands of color overlap.
Though abstract, Adams's paintings are rooted in textile design and architecture. She states, "Pattern is a language that crosses boundaries. It offers common ground." As similar patterns have historically been found in far-flung locations not likely to have been in contact, it is clear certain designs are elemental and primal, and in these synchronicities, as she says, "we find how we're alike, as opposed to always thinking about how we're different."
Literature and history also play important roles in Adams's work, especially in the use of referential titles. For example, Cheops, 2018, which is included in this exhibition, refers to the ancient Egyptian pharaoh for whom the Great Pyramid of Giza was built, and the painting's composition echoes pyramidal forms. According to Adams, such titles are important as her work is not overtly narrative, so, through literary references, she offers viewers a path of entry into her art.
Marina Adams was born in Orange, New Jersey, in 1960 and lives between New York and Parma, Italy. She earned a BFA from the Tyler School of Art, Philadelphia, and an MFA from Columbia University, New York. Solo exhibitions of her work have been presented at Salon 94, New York; Galerie Gris, Hudson, New York; CUE Art Foundation, New York; and Magazzino d'Arte Moderna, Rome. Her work has been included in recent group exhibitions at the Camden Arts Centre, London; Lisson Gallery, New York; American Academy of Arts and Letters, New York; and The Center for Contemporary Art, Bedminster, New Jersey. Adams received the Award of Merit Medal for Painting from the Academy of Arts and Letters and the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship.
The FOCUS series is organized by the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth and features three solo exhibitions each year. The series, which began in 2005, is committed to introducing visitors to significant contemporary artists with worldwide acclaim who have not been widely exhibited in this region. The FOCUS series is organized by Associate Curator Alison Hearst. FOCUS exhibitions are open to the public and are included in general Museum admission.
Artist Lecture
November 10, 7 pm, live online format
Registration will be available one week in advance at www.themodern.org/programs/lectures.
2020-21 Upcoming FOCUS Exhibitions
FOCUS: Leidy Churchman
January 22-March 21, 2021
The American painter Leidy Churchman will present several new and recent works. Drawing on the postmodern idea that no subject is forbidden, Churchman’s imagery is broad and varied, mirroring the sheer abundance and circulation of images today. The paintings treat equally such disparate subjects as animals, landscapes, themes from Tibetan Buddhism, real estate advertisements, and remakes of works by other artists, such as Henri Rousseau and Barbara Kruger. Churchman’s approach, including developing paintings from found images, is an exercise in being present and taking stock of the surrounding world. FOCUS: Leidy Churchman will be the artist’s first museum exhibition in the Southwest.
FOCUS: Wael Shawky
April 2-June 20, 2021
Wael Shawky, who is based in Alexandria, Egypt, and Philadelphia, will present a film from his ambitious trilogy Cabaret Crusades, along with new and related drawings and sculpture. In this exhibition, as with much of his work, the artist explores the ambiguities between history and myth in a multimedia presentation in order to challenge the authority of history. Some of the themes he investigates are the history of the Arab peninsula (The Gulf Project), medieval hostilities between Christians and Muslims (Cabaret Crusades), and the recounting of poetic myths (Al Araba Al Madfuna). FOCUS: Wael Shawky will be the artist’s first exhibition in the southwestern United States.
Acquisition
At the conclusion of the FOCUS season in the spring, one work or group of works from each exhibition is held for the annual Purchase Meeting. During this event, members of the Director's Council vote to determine which work will be recommended for acquisition by the Modern, thus contributing to the Museum's permanent collection and shaping its cultural footprint.
ABOUT THE MODERN
The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth is a leader in collecting, showing, and interpreting art from the 1940s to the present. Situated in the heart of the Cultural District, the creative center of the city, the Modern has been housed since 2002 in an elegant concrete, glass, and steel building designed by the renowned Japanese architect Tadao Ando. In addition to 53,000 square feet of soaring, light-filled gallery space and landscaped grounds with outdoor sculptures, the museum features a reflecting pond, theater, education center, gift shop, and café, creating a thriving hub for our community and beyond.
Founded in 1892, the Modern is the oldest museum in Texas; however, our mission has changed over the years. Today, we strive to connect audiences of all ages and backgrounds with the most compelling art and ideas of our time. Showcasing the work of historically significant, mid-career, and emerging artists, the Modern is known for its evolving collection, which is international in scope. The Museum’s holdings include influential artists from Pablo Picasso, Philip Guston, Anselm Kiefer, Martin Puryear, and Agnes Martin to Mark Bradford, Teresita Fernández, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, and Kehinde Wiley. We have a long history of close relationships with the living artists we show and collect, many of whom visit the museum regularly to give talks and lead workshops.
The Modern is a center of lifelong learning and exchange. Our programs include tours, lectures by leading figures in the art world, youth and adult classes, art camps, workshops, and a range of small-group studio and gallery programs led by the Museum's educators, docents, and community artists. We also present critically acclaimed first-run films and partner with other local arts organizations to offer music, dance, and theater.