Making Modern at the MFA

The Americas Wing at the MFA has never really been my favorite. Partly, because a huge section of it has been under construction for quite some time. That section, located on the third floor of the Wing, has officially opened to the public as of last month. This space, now called Making Modern, features 28 modern artistis including Picasso, Pollock, Frida Kahlo and Georgia O’keeffe. It’s separated into 5 distinct galleries and has quickly become a must-see.

The Lane Collection

The first room you walk into is brightly lit and filled with half a dozen Georgia O’keeffe paintings, including some of her famous flowers. As you walk deeper into the room, other artists like Sheeler and Dove begin to appear.

I didn’t know much about Sheeler before this exhibit, but I’ve become a big fan since. Sheeler and his paintings inspired modern painters more than we know it – or like to admit it. With his eye for photography and detailed technique, he created spectacular and innovative art.

Pollock | Picasso

The next room is one of my favorites. No, not because it’s Picasso. I’m not that #Basic. It is due to the way the gallery is curated, comparing Picasso and Pollock side by side. The two artistis belong to two different schools, in fact, they never even met, yet their art has a lot of similarities.

Hoffman & the Next Generation

This gallery is quite intersting as it explores the art of Hans Hoffman’s students, rathet than Hoffman’s Abstract Expressionism. According to experts, Hoffman was an incredible teacher who pushed his students to find their own voice. His pupils went on to become some pretty famous artist. Alf Bayrle, Louise Nevelson, Wolfgang Paalen, Worth Ryder, and Alfred Jensen, to name a few.

Beckmann in America

The last gallery explores the art of Max Beckmann and Karl Zerbe, as well as their impact on Boston artisits. It touches on German Expressionism, which highly influenced the creation of Boston Expressionism. (Boston Expressionism was a school established by German Jews who immigrated to America, particularly Boston, during WWII.) Fun fact: Zerbe and Beckmann’s student, David Aaronson, established the College of Fine Arts at Boston University. (#GoTerriers) I highly recommend taking some time in this section, even if you’ve never heard about these people. You never know what you’ll learn.