Following rave reviews while at The Jewish Museum in New York City, the unexpectedly rich and diverse collection of Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani’s works has made its way to the Art Gallery of Ontario. The exhibit, titled Modigliani: Beyond the Myth, showcases the paintings, drawings, and sculptures of a man who has been remembered not for his artistic accomplishments, but rather for the tumultuous way he lived his short life of 35 years in early 20th-century Paris.
Renowned for his incessant alcoholism, cigarette smoking, and doomed, abusive relationships, the true artistic talent of Modigliani has often been overshadowed by the story of his life, leaving the real artistic praise and respect for his friends and colleagues-namely Cezanne, Matisse, Toulouse-Lautrec, and Picasso. The purpose of this exhibit, then, says curator Michael Parke-Taylor, is to open up people’s eyes to the real man behind the myth and his truly extraordinary talent-which, after having viewed this exhibit, should be regarded as equal to that of the other artistic masters of our time.
Indeed this aim has surely been accomplished, as the collection is absolutely stunning-showcasing everything from Modigliani’s early experimentations to his master nude works, which in 1917 were both exhibited and taken down in the same day. Displayed in sequential order, the developmental, early drawings at the beginning of the exhibit are probably the most interesting aspect of the show. These sketches, drawing on many elements of ancient Greek, Asian, and ‘primitive’ African art, are in fact what help us to get a glimpse of the real Modigliani as a young man developing and forming an original style.
As much interest as these provide, however, they cannot compare in beauty to the haunting and vibrant portraits to which Modigliani dedicated all of his 14 working years. With over 40 portraits in total, the show is a diverse and wonderful collection of all that Modigliani should be remembered for. His simple, elongated figures (most with eyes painted a solid black or blue) possess so much character they almost make the viewer feel uncomfortable while at the same time seeming mysteriously stark and lifeless. It is almost as if, in his simplification, Modigliani attempted to abandon the form and essence of every figure who sat for him, yet his result is completely the opposite.
Parke-Taylor quotes Modigliani as saying, “One eye looks out, and another looks in,” implying that although the figures themselves seem to be robbed of any personality, we, the viewer, see in them a crucial reflection of the man looking out from behind the canvas. It is only in this “eye to eye” contact with the painting itself that you can achieve the true sense of wonder and mystery behind Modigliani’s works, says Parke-Taylor, whereas most of the world is accustomed to seeing only the seemingly lifeless reproductions of Modigliani’s masterpieces on postcards.
In viewing this exhibit, the women on the canvas will haunt you all the way out the door, and you will leave the AGO knowing that Modigliani’s talent is certainly no myth at all.
Modigliani: Behind the Myth runs until January 23 at the Art Gallery of Ontario (317 Dundas St. W.).
