View From the Edge - Oct 2019

Kathleen Swaydan October 4, 2019

OCTOBER 2019

Getty Villa, Pacific Palisades, CA
Buried by Vesuvius:The Villa dei Papiri
at Herculaneum

In 2006 I had the good fortune to visit the partially excavated city of Herculaneum (City of Hercules) located north of Pompeii. Unlike Pompeii, which was covered with an initial deposit of pumice then thick layers of ash that hardened over time, Herculaneum, closer in proximity to Mt. Vesuvius, was covered by multiple layers of pyroclastic flows (very hot ash and lava fragments). The first of these pyroclastic flows collapsed roofs and toppled statuary. Subsequent flows covering what was already buried created a hermetic seal of sorts allowing for the preservation of things like wood and leather and even cereals, fruits and loaves of bread.

Just outside the city of Herculaneum was a villa thought to have been owned by Julius Caesar's father-in-law, Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus Pontifex (48 BC - AD 32). The villa was dubbed "Villa dei Papiri" because it contained the most extensive library of papyrus scrolls ever found. In 1754 Karl Jacob Weber, a Swiss military engineer in charge of the first attempted excavation, created a detailed diagram of this villa. Weber's diagram on display in this exhibit was used by J. Paul Getty to re-create the villa in Pacific Palisades. The excavation experienced a number of fits and starts over the years because of unsafe conditions and economic shortfalls. Thankfully, the excavation continues today.

J. Paul Getty's re-creation of the "Villa dei Papiri" contains replicas of many statues found at the excavation site. They are placed in what is believed to be their original positions based on Weber's diagram. The exhibit includes the original statues along with other artifacts discovered in Herculaneum. Many of these items are shown here for the first time outside of Italy. This exhibit brings the Getty Villa's re-creation into very clear perspective. One can imagine walking through the long colonnades of the villa outside Herculaneum. The Getty Villa is a beautiful place to visit whether or not you are interested in Greek and Roman antiquities. If you haven't visited this museum, please consider going while this exhibit is on display through October 28th.

The Getty Villa
17985 Pacific Coast Highway, Pacific Palisades, 90272
https://www.getty.edu/visit/villa/
Parking: $20
Admission: free - but you must obtain tickets online before going
Hours: 10 AM - 5 PM (closed Tuesdays)

Where you can find me:
Shows:
October 12 - 11 AM - 6 PM
Pasadena 14th Annual ART Walk
Pasadena Society of Artists booth
Green St. and Madison Ave., Pasadena 91101
https://www.playhousedistrict.org/calendar-of-events/artwalk

November 1 thru 3
Creative Arts Group 2019 Art Festival
http://www.creativeartsgroup.org/calendar-of-events/art-festival/

November 23 - 9:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Art On Palm at Jones Coffee Roasters
693 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena 91105
http://www.artonpalm.com

November 23 - 6:00 - 9:00 PM
Pasadena Jewish Temple Center/Sisterhood Artisan Fair
1434 N. Altadena Dr., Pasadena 91107

November 24 - 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Storrier Stearns Japanese Garden
Annual Art Fair with the Pasadena Society of Artists
270 Arlington Dr., Pasadena, 91103
www.japanesegardenpasadena.com

Dec 7-8 - 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Open Studio and Artist Marketplace
Kathleen Swaydan Studio
3061 Ridgeview Drive, Altadena 91001
kdswaydan@gmail.com

Retail:
Pasadena Museum of History gift shop
470 E. Walnut St., Pasadena 91103
https://www.pasadenahistory.org

Southern Roots
1387 E. Washington Blvd., Pasadena 91104
https://www.southernrootsgifts.com

Copyright © 2019 Kathleen Swaydan, Artist, All rights reserved.
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VIew From the Edge - Apr/May 2019

Kathleen Swaydan April 22, 2019

VIEW FROM THE EDGE - APRIL/MAY 2019

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The Visitation, 1528-30 by Jacopo Pontormo

Currently on view at The Getty Center until April 28, 2019, The Visitation is a beautiful example of Jacopo Pontormo's artistic talent. The painting depicts Mary and her cousin, Elizabeth, meeting when both are pregnant - Mary with Jesus and Elizabeth with John the Baptist.  It has recently been restored and the colors are breathtaking. The altarpiece is from a small church in the town of Carmignano about 12 miles outside Florence, Italy. This is the first time the painting has been exhibited outside of Italy. I had the pleasure of viewing this painting on a visit to Carmignano in 2003 and could not resist seeing it again.

Pontormo painted in and around Florence in the early to mid 16th Century. He was a leading painter of his time and became the first painter of the early Medici court. He is classified as a Mannerist which has many definitions. Frederick Hart describes "Mannerism" as a "derivation of the Italian word mano(hand), the ascendancy of manual practice over visual observation and intellectual clarity". Other definitions more readily obvious in The Visitationinclude the elongation of the human figure, distortion of perspective, emphasis on atmospheric effects, and the use of pure and intense hues (color). It is thought that Pontormo's color palette may have been influenced by Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel where the colors are exceptionally bright and full of light. Pontormo and Michelangelo were contemporaries.  As you will see when you view The Visitation, the robes are voluminous, the figures seem to float in their space, and there is an ethereal quality to the composition.

As mentioned above, this exhibit closes Sunday, April 28th. If you have the time to take a drive to The Getty Center, it will be well worth your while and the price of parking ($20), there is no admission fee.

I hope to have another View From the Edge posting in May for an exhibit with a longer viewing time.

Where you can find me:

Alta-Pasa-Dena Open Studios
May 24th 6-9 PM
Reception and Silent Auction
Altadena Library
600 E. Mariposa St.
June 1st and 2nd - Studio Tour
4283 Aralia Rd., Altadena

Art On Palm at Loma Alta Park
June 8th and 9th - 10 - 4 PM
3330 Lincoln Ave. and Palm St.
Altadena, CA
Yes, 2 days and back on Palm St.!

More to come!

View From the Edge - July 2018

Kathleen Swaydan August 13, 2018

Two cool ways to enjoy art and history this Summer.

This month I visited the California Science Center in Exposition Park and the Ronald Regan Presidential Library in Simi Valley for a full dose of historical art and artifacts.

The California Science Center is hosting King Tut: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh. This exhibit is quite extensive although it does not include the "death mask" which remains in Egypt. Nonetheless, there are many amazing artifacts on exhibit and quite a few that have never been shown outside of Egypt. The skill and knowledge needed to create the works of art on display speak to the technical advancement of the Egyptians. As you may know, King Tut was a young pharaoh who lived some 3,000 years ago. He was just 9 years old when he began his reign which oddly lasted only 9 years. Quite a number of artifacts created for the "boy king" were tailored to his small size. His tomb was discovered by Howard Carter in 1922. There are many videos and narratives that explain why and how Carter located the tomb.

The Ronald Regan Presidential Library is hosting Genghis Khan the Exhibition, a rather uninspiring title for a very interesting exhibit. It is also quite extensive with educational videos, narratives and many, many artifacts. There is even an actual yurt (traditional circular tent) that gives us an idea of how the Mongols lived. Genghis Khan founded and ruled the Mongol Empire, the largest contiguous empire in history. He lived from 1162 - 1227, was a fierce and brutal conqueror and left the world many things still in use: paper currency, pants, and the pony express (insert USPS or FedEx) just to name a few. I was so inspired by this exhibit that I have since purchased two historical accounts of Genghis Khan and the Mongols: William of Rubruck's Account of the Mongols written from 1253 - 1255 and Marco Polo's Il Milione published c. 1300.

King Tut: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh
on exhibit through the end of the year
Tickets: general admission $29.95
Parking: $12
Purchase tickets at www.californiasciencecenter.org

Genghis Khan the Exhibition
on exhibit through August 19th
Tickets: general admission $25.00
Parking is free
Purchase tickets at www.reaganfoundation.org

King Tut the Boy King

Genghis Khan ruler of the Mongol Empire

Where you can find me:
October 2 - 20, 2018 - Pasadena Society of Artists presents
By Hand, Printmaking & Drawing
McGinty's Gallery at the End of the World
869 E. Mariposa St., Altadena
Opening reception Sat. Oct. 6 from 5 - 7 PM
November 2 - 4, 2018 - Creative Arts Group annual Fall Art Fair
108 N. Baldwin Ave., Sierra Madre
Opening reception Fri. Nov 2 from 7 - 9 PM
December 1 - 2, 2018 - 7th Annual Open Studio and Artist Marketplace
3061 Ridgeview Dr., Altadena
10 AM - 4 PM both days
December 8, 2018 - Art On Palm at Arlington Garden
corner of Pasadena Ave and Arlington St.
10 AM - 4 PM

3061 Ridgeview Dr.

Altadena, Ca 91001
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View from the Edge - July 2016

Kathleen Swaydan July 8, 2016

It is Summer and travel time. Last year I visited the Chianti Region of Italy where I painted this watercolor. This year the first stop is William Merritt Chase: A Modern Master at The Phillips Collection, The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. (Open through Sept. 11) This retrospective commemorating the hundredth anniversary of the artist's death features over 70 works of art.

View from the Edge - Roman Mosaics Across the Empire

amelia marable June 9, 2016

"Roman Mosaics Across the Empire" is on exhibit at The Getty Villa in Malibu. Although most of the mosaics are from the Getty's permanent collection, it is a comprehensive display accompanied by videos showing some mosaics in-situ.