Art Review: 'Bibliothèque du Dauphin à Versailles', Maurice Lobre

When I have to think about things that are too hard to figure out, too depressing, too stressful, I love to find shelter in the well-known. As I explained in my latest editor's letter, I am confused and anxious about my near future, not knowing what is coming next. So this morning, waking up sad and down as for the past days, instead of working on my thesis, I went back to my Modern art history book that I always keep nearby. While thinking about my impossible decision making, I went through the book, enjoying beautiful paintings and sculptures, trying to find comfort in the past. All of those images I knew, all those names I heard before, at a time where the future was not so much on my mind. At a time where I was falling in love with this amazing boy, but I did not have to think about what to come next yet. I then stumbled upon this painting by Maurice Lobre. He is not an artist we study loads in art history, but I remember when I discovered his work I instantly became one of his first supporter. His aesthetic, the blurriness of his paintings, the way he played with light and colors hooked me. It was during my first year in Geneva that I became aware of this artist, and since then I never studied his work, just looked at it, enjoyed it with my eyes while trying to keep my art historian's brain out of it, for the sake of pure enjoyment. This morning, for the first time in a few years, I let myself get lost in this painting again, imagining somebody walking into this sunny room, being maybe just like me, scared and unsure about the future. And then my troubles got to my mind again. But those few minutes, just enjoying a beautiful art piece, escaping from this scary present to find shelter in a comforting past, made my day a little bit easier. Just a little bit, however. The future is still there. 

xo

Amy

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Matisse Inspired Fashion

To follow fashion trends can be a hard job. I couldn't even imagine being a fashion trend setter, too much of a hard task. Some trends, I forget about - neon colored faux fur is not my thing - yet some others, maybe more discreet, not as easy to see, I fall in love with instantly and follow right away, like the good fashion sheep that I am. Matisse inspired fashion is a trend I just love. I don't know if it is my past as an art historian, or simply because I find those faces fascinating, but this trend holds a special place into my heart. I don't really mind the medium, even though I seem to have a preferences for statement earrings. Fashion is funny sometimes. I don't know what Matisse would think of this trend. I hope he would like it as much as I do, but I think so. At least, it is a nice way to carry a piece of him. 

xo

Amy

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Art Review: Alexander McQueen Print

I know realize that the writing of my thesis is orientating me more and more when it comes to my personal taste. I tend to go a little bit further away from art, to get closer to the beauty that can come out of a fashion creation. It is such a shame, the way we do not consider fashion designers enough. We see them as craftsman, talented for sure, but not artists. To be, this is becoming weirder and weirder as I go further in my research. The other day, while looking at some of Alexander McQueen's works, I stumbled upon this drawing, turned into a wallpaper for the Met exhibition 'Savage Beauty'. When looking at the garments he created, I must admit, I never took enough time to observe the details of his prints. I know realize this was a big mistake. When I see this drawing, I am now conscious of the artistic talent that is needed to create such a piece. And here I do not talk only about the technical aspect of the drawing, but also of its topic and figures. How strange and confusing, how beautiful and scary at the same time. There was a whole universe behind the clothes that he created, it was much more than just garments. Yet I needed a drawing, a classical art medium, to understand that. 

xo

Amy

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Flirt, Alfonse Mucha

How frustrating can it be to be a university student. You become more and more knowledgeable, you always learn about new artists, new figures, new people, new eras you would like to be even more familiar with. But you have to make choices, take decisions. I had the opportunity when I was studying in my Bachelor degree to study Art Nouveau. I didn't choose this elective. At this time this was too unknown to me, not enough attractive to be my first choice. I am now seeing the end of the art history studies. I am not studying painting that much now, and the end of my master is near. In all of those years, I never had the chance to retake this missed opportunity of my first year, and today I regret to have not studied Art Nouveau. So I study it myself, the best that I can. And I stumbled upon this beautiful advertising by Alfonse Mucha, maybe one of the most important artist of this field and era. 

The grace of the woman, the cheekiness of the man, the flowers, the colors, the title - The Flirt! - all of that did catch my eye. There is such beauty in this medium, I feel nostalgic about this period of time solely for that. People were so serious about beauty and aesthetic. When I see today's adverts, I don't understand how low we are. But I guess this kind of art is what it is because it has this power to make us feel nostalgic. It is so beautiful because it is a testimony of a past we never knew, the testimony of a time we will idealize, a time we will never fully understand. We tend to think that life was like the flirt happening on this print, but maybe this print is just here to make us dream of this life. 

xo

Amy

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Les Nymphéas, Monet

Some artists move you more than some others. It is funny how much we tend to come back, always, to what we love at first sight. Monet is easy in a sense, everybody knows his paintings, ans I won't be surprised to learn that in some kindergarten they would use its art pieces for 4 years old to be inspired by. Monet is just the name you can throw away when you want to look fancy. Well, I have studied his work, and even after that Monet is still easy for me. I didn't really enjoy studying his art, because it felt like I was loosing all of its poetry. Why would you explain the water lilies? I mean, aren't they enough by themselves? 

Yes, I do complain a lot about how studying art history made me lost the candid look that I had on art, but I also have to be honest and thankful. Thanks to art history I saw not only the most well-known water lilies, I also discover the more confidential ones, like the waiting I choose today. And also had the chance to study his garden, to compare, to understand the colors, the shades, the movement. But when I look at this painting I try not to think to much about it. This art work is poetry, I guess that it is a good enough description. Now it is up the you to look at it this way, and maybe Monet would still be an easy reference, but now it will also be one that speaks to your heart. 

xo

Amy

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