The new life of iron and the machine, the roar of automobiles, the glitter of electric lights, the whirring of propellers, have awoken the soul.
Kazimir Malevich , 1916
The age of Modernism was not just about art. The Corcoran Gallery of Art‘s new exhibition, explores the period’s shift in architectural design, film, furniture and science, creating a never before seen idealism of sleekness and renewal. The exhibit arrived from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London to a host of welcome events last week that included marshmellows on sticks and oblong drinking glasses, but mostly exhiliration towards the Corcoran’s new look. The exhibit itself is comprimised of winding walls, hanging screens and architectual models galore, as well as a strong collection of relics from across the globe.
The exhibit’s strong point lies in its organization. Centered around four themes, the works are categorized and explained according to overarching ideas of the time: Utopia, the Machine and Mass Production, Nature and the Healthy Body, and National Modernisms and Identity. The works are unadorned, geometric and bold, creating an immense sense of movement from one corridor to the next. Fixtures and glassware seem right at home alongside a Vladimir Tatlin model that looms over viewers entering the show. Lyonel Feininger works were exciting and unexpected.
As we donned our modern duds and hobnobbed, we could not help but overhear a buzz about a lack of American representation throughout. Perhaps a louder Frank Lloyd Wright shout out would have been nice. No Barcelona chair either, but we have no doubt someone in DC has one hiding in a back room.
Overall, the show is sleek and snazzy, like the age itself. DC is very lucky to have the opportunity to host such an epic collection of relics.
The exhibition runs through Jul 29th.
Tags: Lauren Gentile, London, Specullector, washington DC
