From The Village to Vogue

Art Smith's orginal sign that was displayed
on his storefront in Greenwich village on Cornelia St.
in the mid 1900's





"Patina" Necklace inspired by Calder's mobiles










Recently, I visited the Brooklyn Art Museum for the first time, and was impressed by the enormity of the structure, but the exhibit that the Museum is currently housing through July 19th of Art Smith's jewelry was very inspirational. The exhibit honors the gift of twenty-one pieces of silver and gold jewelry created by the Brooklyn-reared modernist jeweler, primarily from Charles Russel, Smith's companion and heir.

The amazing biomorphic, surrealistic, and primitive inspired gems are very light weight and wearable. The jewelry dates from the late 1940's to the 1970's and includes his most famous pieces, such as a "Patina" necklace inspired by the mobiles of Alexander Calder; a "Lava" bracelet, or cuff, that extends over the entire lower arm in undulating and overlapping forms; and a massive ring with three semi-precious stones that stretches over three fingers.

I think I was instantly drawn to the jewelry because they reminded me of Alexander Calder's art, that organicness that you see in Calder's work you also see in Smith's as well.. Learning that Smith, along with other jewelers of his time were actually inspired by Calder and his kinetic, abstract designs made me even more intrigued with all the beautiful gold and silver creatures lurking behind the display cases.

Like Calder, they used high quality materials such as gold, platinum, and precious stones. "Their jewelry was an ornamental interpretation of contemporary art that integrated an awareness of the human form and the notion of wearbility."

If you are in the New York area, I highly recommend you check this exhibit out before it is pulled on July 19th.

http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/

Previous post about Alexander Calder
http://concretecommentary.blogspot.com/2009/01/calderthe-ring-master.html

Photos: Jesse, C.C.

Calder...The Ring Master

Alexander Calder's crazy circus figures - some are motorized


A mobile.

Calder's caricature portraits.

Josephine Baker - Aztec.

Josephine Baker.


An artistic genius with whimsical creativity is how I would describe Alexander Calder, a man known by most, as the artist that created the mobile sculptures made from wire, wood and paint. I really only knew of his mobiles which I've always loved, but grew somewhat bored of them because they became so mainstream while replica's sprouted up everywhere. I now have a new found appreciation of Calder's work after visiting his exhibit at the Whitney Museum here in New York (on view through February 15). The charming collection contains his works from his time spent in Paris, 1926 to 1933. One of his first wire sculptures was of Josephine Baker, which I'm a huge fan of and never knew he sculpted her. It was a great surprise when I saw the wired figures bouncing and gyrating against a stark white wall in the museum. It created such a nice contrast. I was really thrown back when I entered the room that displayed his complete circus! The wire spectacle that is a permanent fixture at the Whitney is a playful but almost disturbing and creepy aerial play of circus figures. The old time music that has been recorded from a Victrola plays overhead while enthralled by the vision of such an enormous display. One can't help but to imagine Alexander working through the late nights in the city of lights perfecting his craft, twisting strands of metal, gluing wooden heads and leather garments onto his wiry creations. Ooh...all so creepy right? I love it! Upon the completion of his Circus's Alexander would invite audiences, most were his artist friends, Joan Miro, Piet Mondrian, Fernand Leger, and Marcel Duchamp to his atelier who would sit on a low bed or on crates, munching peanuts while Calder manipulated his characters with strings and wires so that trapezists flew through the air, cowboys lassoed horses, and acrobats catapulted across space. The ring master and his circus! The big top is at 945 Madison Ave. The Whitney Museum...Step right up folks!

www.whitney.org