The Economist - UK (2022-04-30)

78 Culture The Economist April 30th 2022

“P

robablytheonlythingonecan reallylearn”,PhilipGustoneventu allyconcluded,“isthecapacitytobeable tochange.”Themodernartist’sfate,he said,was“constantchange”.Asa painter heembracedthatfate—andinposterity hisworkhasprovedbothanindexof changeanda challengetoit.A newshow inBostonchartshisrestlessgenius;it is alsothecanvasfora struggleoverart’s freedomandobligations,andthecon testedbalancebetweenthem. TwiceGuston,whodiedin1980,made a reputationandgaveit up—firstasa figurativeartistandmuralistinthe1930s and1940s,nextbyplungingintoabstrac tionwithhisfriendJacksonPollockand othermidcenturyAmericanpioneers. Boldlyhereturnedtofigurationinthe late1960s,dwellingonbanalyetsome howuncannyobjects:lightbulbs,bricks, boots.Hepaintedheads,distortedor halfsubmerged.Andhemadea seriesof paintingsoftriangularhoodedfigures thatrecalltheKuKluxKlan. Whenfirstexhibitedin1970,these causedanartworldscandal—notbe causeoftheimagery,orGuston’srightto useit,butoverthebrashlycartoonish technique.A retrospectivestagedin 200304passedwithoutuproar.Butin 2020,inthefermentafterthemurderof GeorgeFloyd,theorganisersofthethen upcomingnewshowquailedatGuston’s motifsandthemes.Thedirectorofthe NationalGalleryofArtinWashington, whereit wasduetoopenfirst,saidhe had“appropriatedimagesofblacktrau ma”.Theproblem,implicitly,wasboth whatGustonpaintedandwhohewas. Well,whowashe?ThesonofJewish refugeesfromOdessa,hechangedhis namefromGoldsteintoevadeanti Semitism.TheKlanwasactiveintheLos Angelesofhisyouthandhisearlywork

alsoevokeditscrimes,alongsideother fascisticatrocities.Heturnedawayfrom abstractioninpartoutofanenduring senseofpoliticalduty.“Whatkindofman amI”,hefeltinthe1960s,“sittingathome, readingmagazines,goingintoa furyabout everything—andthengoingintomystu diotoadjusta redtoa blue.” Asforthelaterhoodsthemselves: Gustondelightedintellingstorieswith them,andintheexpressionshecould conjureintheiralmostblankvisages.At bottom,though,theywere—andare—a reproach.Theyareterribleintheirordi nariness,surroundedwitheverydaybric abrac,glimpsedsmokingorridingina boxycar.In“TheStudio”onesketchesa selfportrait,bloodonhishandandcos tume.Thestitchinginthehoodsmatches andmergeswiththewindowslitsinthe buildingsGustonpainted.Hishoodsare knittedintosociety.Theyareeverywhere. Theseworksareanindictmentof racism,glaringorinsidious,nota caseof it.Butit appearedtoday’sviewersmight notgeta chancetoseethatforthemselves. In 2020 theexhibition(alreadyhitbythe

pandemic)waspostponedbythefour museumsinvolvedinit,initiallyuntil 2024.Opponentsofcensorshipprotest ed,asdidmanyartists.Somethoughtthe delaysmelledlikea cancellation,and that“PhilipGustonNow”,theshow’s title,mightbecomePhilipGustonNever. Theywerewrong.Aheadofthemoot edschedule,it opensonMay1statthe MuseumofFineArts(mfa) inBoston, andwillbeadaptedinHouston,Wash ingtonandLondon.Itisa magnificent exhibitionand—ata febrile,polarised time—animportantone.Themfa broughtinAfricanAmericancurators andhascarefullylaidoutthepolitical contextofGuston’slifeandwork.Visi torscanavoidthehoodsif theychoose to:theycanmakeuptheirownminds. Butwitha fewforgivableexceptions, theintendedartworksarethere;Guston’s visionishonouredandexplained.The formatgivesconsiderationtothosewho mightbeoffended,butnota veto.It affirmsandaccommodatesart’spowerto provoke,anditsrightto.Lotsofcultural skirmishesendinshoutyhostilityor shabbyretreat.Hereisa wisersortof resolution,relyingona mixofprinciple, reflectionandwhatyoumightcalltact, orgoodmanners. Besidesthehoods,otherthemesand motifsrecur.Redwasthemaincolourin Guston’spalette,bleedingintopink.He wasalwaysinfluencedbytheItalian Renaissancemasters,especiallytheir gorgeousvisionsoftheapocalypseand thedamned.Heavenwasdull,henoted, but“whenthey’regoingtohellthepaint erreallygoestotown”.Thesameistrue ofhim,andofthenewshow:theydraw artfromanguishandforceyoutothink.

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AstruggleoverPhilipGuston’spaintings—andartisticfreedom—endsintriumph

.............................................................. “The Studio” (detail), 1969. Private Collection. ©The Estate of Philip Guston, courtesy Hauser & Wirth

fact, she had covid19. With opera houses closed, she returned to Oslo and focused on projects including a recording of songs by Edvard Grieg, a Norwegian composer and pianist, with Leif Ove Andsnes. The duo recently took the album on tour and will perform on May 27th in Bergen. Ms Davidsen says she enjoys the direct communication with audiences that is possible with the recital format. Strauss’s “Four Last Songs”, which she sang poi gnantly at the Met’s Ukraine fundraiser on March 14th, are among her signature piec es. She dismisses critics who say younger

musicians shouldn’t perform late Beetho ven string quartets or autumnal works such as the Strauss songs. The ability to feel and convey deep emotions, she points out, is not restricted to those over a certain age: “We all have diﬀerent stories.” She is adamant, however, that she is not ready for the emotional and physical chal lenge of singing Brunnhilde in Wagner’s “Ring” cycle, the pinnacle of the dramatic soprano repertory and a role that adminis trators are eager to hire her for. (It lasts 15 hours and is performed over four eve nings.) Ms Davidsen compares preparing

for such roles to training for a marathon: when developing delicate vocal muscles, she says, it’s important to build stamina. Seasoned opera lovers say that younger listeners not lucky enough to have heard the marvellous Swedish soprano Birgit Nilsson will experience similar thrills when they hear Ms Davidsen perform. As Mr Gelb points out, the opera world strug gles to stay artistically relevant and to con nect with a broader public, a problem even more acute after the pandemic. Ms David sen has the voice to lurea new generation of fans to ﬁll those seats.n

The Economist - UK (2022-04-30)

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