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Twin Town High (vol. 8) |
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Ruth Duckworth at the MIA
Thursday 23 February @ 15:38:30 |
 by Christopher Koza
Don’t know what to do or where to go? The gallery listing page in the Pulse always has plenty of suggestions, and here is a new one: Why not escape the subzero temperatures of a suddenly vintage Minnesota February in the surprisingly cozy confines of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts? While pursuing the vast collections of ancient Chinese silverware or Dale Chihuly’s glass chandelier, be certain to devote a meaningful part of your visit to the current exhibition featuring modernist sculptor Ruth Duckworth.
While it may seem unfair to devote media attention to a museum of such visibility
and resource as the MIA when so many important but smaller galleries featuring
local and regional artists vie for publicity, Duckworth’s exhibit gets
to the source material that undoubtedly has served as inspiration for ceramicists,
sculptors and artists all over the world.
 At
86 years old and still counting, Duckworth is as prolific as ever. It seems
that her career has never suffered from a period of artist’s block. She
is a modern master--every aspect of her work has been considered and refined
by the artist’s intention. Duckworth controls the porcelain, clay and
stoneware in the same fashion that the moon commands the tides. While time and
changing styles are unkind to many artists, it seems safe to say Duckworth will
never experience that backlash until our Earth is ruled by a race of non-human,
art-hating sentient beings.
Singling out Duckworth’s individual pieces is a kind of challenge. The
artist rarely names her works, and nearly every piece in the show is referred
to only as “untitled” followed by the year of completion, with the
exceptions being commissioned installations. The MIA doesn’t possess the
actual installations but photographs of these and Duckworth’s maquettes
of “ Clouds Over Lake Michigan,” “Earth Water, and Sky”
and “The Creation” are represented. These murals are tremendous
demonstrations of how vital every small piece of a large project is, and why
the quality of the finished project depends on this fundamental integrity. Art
is meant to be looked at and scoured over, especially when contained in the
setting of a world-class museum.
I anticipate the day when we can look at the unknown artists currently growing
and flourishing in the Twin Cities, and realize that some of these figures will
someday become a part of an ever shifting and influential public history.
Duckworth’s show is a worthwhile visit, both for artists of any medium,
and art lovers of any attention span. ||
Ruth Duckworth “Modern Sculptor” runs from February 5th - April
16th at the Target Gallery (2nd floor) of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts
(2400 Third Avenue South. Minneapolis, MN 55404). Admission is free. Memberships
to the MIA are available and donations are graciously accepted.
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