• Disclosure
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
  • CCPA
  • Medical Disclaimer
Tuesday, March 28, 2023
Montgomery County News Online
  • Home
  • News
  • Business
  • Technology
    • Crytpocurrency
    • Gaming
    • Gadgets
  • Sports
  • Health
  • General
    • Business Services
  • Travel
  • Press Releases
  • Popular
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Business
  • Technology
    • Crytpocurrency
    • Gaming
    • Gadgets
  • Sports
  • Health
  • General
    • Business Services
  • Travel
  • Press Releases
  • Popular
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Home Technology Gadgets

Things To Do: See The Art Of MC Escher At The Museum Of Fine Arts, Houston – Houston Press

things-to-do:-see-the-art-of-mc-escher-at-the-museum-of-fine-arts,-houston-–-houston-press
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

For most of his adult life, Mick Jagger has probably only rarely heard the word “no” in response to any of his requests. But he heard it at least twice from Maurits Cornelis Escher, the graphic artist better known as M.C. Escher.

It seems that the Rolling Stones front man, really, really, really wanted Escher to design an album cover for the group. But the Dutchman was steadfast in his answer: “not interested.”

“Hand with Reflecting Sphere” lithograph by M.C. Escher, 1935.   Work copyrighted the M.C. Escher Company” href=”https://media1.houstonpress.com/hou/imager/u/original/12957800/hou_art_hand_with_reflecting_sphere.jpg” rel=”contentImg_gal-12957795″ title=””Hand with Reflecting Sphere” lithograph by M.C. Escher, 1935. – WORK COPYRIGHTED THE M.C. ESCHER COMPANY”> click to enlarge hou art hand with reflecting sphere

“Hand with Reflecting Sphere” lithograph by M.C. Escher, 1935.

Work copyrighted the M.C. Escher Company

“Mick very respectfully asked him twice to do a cover, and Escher said that he was much too busy with his own work and refused,” says Dena Woodall, Curator of Prints and Drawings at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. “Of course, Mick also tried to call him ‘Maurits’ and was told ‘That’s Mr. Escher to you.’”

A sizable amount of the artist’s work from across Escher’s entire career will be on display in the massive exhibit The Art of M.C. Escher from the Michael S. Sachs Collection. It runs at the MFAH from March 13 through September 5.

The exhibition will feature more than 400 of Escher’s original prints and lithography, unique drawings and watercolors, printed fabrics, constructed objects, wood/linoleum blocks and sketchbooks.

They are all from the peerless Escher collection of Michael S. Sachs. In 1980, Sachs acquired 90 percent of the works in the Escher estate, and it includes hundreds of more objects and works than even the MFAH could display. Exhibit attendees will also be able to see some of Escher’s own working tools.

“[Sachs] has got all of the preliminary drawings leading up to the final prints, a lot of the wood blocks, and Escher’s actual tools. So in this exhibit, you’re seeing the fully comprehensive Escher, especially the early material when he’s coming up with his ideas,” Woodall continues.

Maurits Cornelis Escher (1898-1972) was born in Leeuwarden, the Netherlands. For much of his student days and early career, his artistic work was much more of the traditional variety, showcasing landscapes and architecture. But extensive European travels—and especially in Italy and Spain—helped him see things in a different way as he visualized perspective, patterns, repeating motifs and especially tessellations.

As his work began to feature more geometric, mathematic, scientific and natural world subjects, they began taking on a much more “mind bending” look and made great use of perspectives and fanciful realism. Some saw purposeful whimsy and others an artistic challenge with a unique viewpoint. Others thought it was just bizarre. Of his work, Escher himself once said “You have to retain a sense of wonder, that’s what it’s all about.”

“Sky and Water I” woodcut by M.C. Escher, 1938.   Work copyrighted the M.C. Escher Company” href=”https://media1.houstonpress.com/hou/imager/u/original/12957801/hou_art_sky_and_water.jpg” rel=”contentImg_gal-12957795″ title=””Sky and Water I” woodcut by M.C. Escher, 1938. – WORK COPYRIGHTED THE M.C. ESCHER COMPANY”> click to enlarge hou art sky and water

“Sky and Water I” woodcut by M.C. Escher, 1938.

Work copyrighted the M.C. Escher Company

“Now, he wasn’t great at math and did not score high marks in secondary school, but mathematicians themselves have said that his art brings their experiments to life in visual terms,” Woodall says. “And he’s doing things that nobody in his time or before or after were doing. To him, math is like poetry, and his art fully shows that.”

In any case, he achieved that rare plateau for an artist where his very name became shorthand for a unique style of art, with “Escher-esque” and “Escher-like” descriptions getting thrown around and what Woodall calls “knock off” art. And according to the MFAH press release, M.C. Escher has been called a “one-man art movement.”

“We often say that he went completely off into his mind and imagination and away from reality, but he definitely was also looking at [real] things,” Woodall adds. She says that he once got inspiration for one of his works after finding a mummified frog behind a piece of his furniture, which he then drew and turned into a print.

“He saw lichens in the forest near where he lived and was inspired. He incorporated a lot of nature into his imaginative, reflective landscapes as well as the ones [from his] imagination.”

If you went to college in the ‘80s or ‘90s, then it was fairly required that you have three objects upon arrival at the dorm: A CD of the Bob Marley anthology Legend, a copy of the John Kennedy Toole novel A Confederacy of Dunces and an M.C. Escher print to hang on your wall.

Woodall says that the first major retrospective book of Escher’s works in English came out in 1960 and featured some 76 images. By later in the decade, he became a favorite artist of pharmaceutical-and-herbal-ingesting hippies and pop culture connoisseurs. That connection will be showcased in the exhibit’s collection of Escher “inspired” bootleg black light posters and record covers.

In one of the text panels on display, Woodall says Escher bemoaned the hippies in San Francisco sort of glomming onto his style and saw some “grisly results” of his influence on their own work.

And the hippies’ interpretations were sometimes off. Greenery seen in some of his work may resemble marijuana plants, but they aren’t. Nor did he promote the theory of reincarnation in the famous Reptiles.

“Reptiles” lithograph by M.C. Escher, 1943.   Work copyrighted the M.C. Escher Company” href=”https://media2.houstonpress.com/hou/imager/u/original/12957799/hou_art_reptiles.jpg” rel=”contentImg_gal-12957795″ title=””Reptiles” lithograph by M.C. Escher, 1943. – WORK COPYRIGHTED THE M.C. ESCHER COMPANY”> click to enlarge hou art reptiles

“Reptiles” lithograph by M.C. Escher, 1943.

Work copyrighted the M.C. Escher Company

Woodall adds that younger people should also note that Escher wasn’t using a computer with programs to figure out this work and design—it’s all done completely with old school paper and drawing utensils. The kind you have to actually hold in your hand.

“Escher has been in our consciousness and popular culture and even currently in things like [TV series] Squid Game that are related to relativity. Younger generations don’t even know that it all started with Escher,” she says.

Today, Escher’s influence is not just in visual arts. Woodall says you can also see it “transmuted in so many different ways” in video games and graphics. And there’s even an Escher String Quartet playing music inspired by his visuals.

“He had a diligent, methodical working process. And he was even trying to capture infinity toward the end of his career. Trying to do that on a two-dimensional level and figure that out,” she adds.

Woodall comes to her appreciation of Escher naturally. She remembers being captivated by a book of his works that she had in junior high school. “And I loved reptiles, so I went crazy over it!” she laughs.

Asked if, say, MFAH Director Gary Tinterow told her “Great job on the exhibit, Dena! You can take one work home!” it’s no surprise which one would end up on her dining room wall.

“I think I would take Reptiles! She laughs. “That’s the one that really captured my imagination in the 8th grade!”

Visual Realities: The Art of M.C. Escher from the Michael S. Sachs Collection runs March 13-September 5 at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Weiss Law Building, 1001 Bissonnet. For more information, call 713-639-7300 or visit MFAH.org. $19-$24, children 12 and under free.

For more on M.C. Escher, visit MCEscher.com

Montgomery County News Online

© 2021 Montgomery County News Online

Navigate Site

  • Disclosure
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
  • CCPA
  • Medical Disclaimer

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • DMCA Policy
  • Medical Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure
  • CCPA
  • Terms of Use

© 2021 Montgomery County News Online

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT