By Patricia H. Kushlis
Lawrence Fodor, "Pegasus," Paloma Fodor Collection.
I attended a reception to open the exhibit of Lawrence Fodor’s latest paintings called Koan Boxes at The Lannan Foundation in Santa Fe on January 31. Now there’s nothing terribly remarkable about an invitation to an exhibit opening in Santa Fe – except that this was an exhibit at a nifty nonprofit foundation, not a commercial gallery, so the objects on display were not for sale.
I’m not an art critic so I will leave the critiques of Fodor’s current work up to the critics. But what I did discover while at the reception was that Pegasus, a large earlier painting of Fodor’s, had been included in a special collection of American art entitled “Greek Contributions to Mankind – An Exhibition of Contemporary Art” on display at the residence of the then American Ambassador to Greece Thomas and Mrs. Miller prior to the 2004 Olympics.
With help from Linda Durham Contemporary Art in Santa Fe who represents Fodor, I obtained a photograph of the painting which begins this post. I also include two photos – again thanks to Linda - of Fodor’s most recent work – to give you a chance to see a sample up-close of what is on display at The Lannan Foundation until March 15, 2009.
Now I think it’s exciting that Fodor’s work was well enough thought of nationally to be included in the collection at the residence of the then US Ambassador to Greece.
What I don’t think is exciting is that I have to wonder whether anyone besides the Millers and a small A-list of guests to the residence had a chance to see Pegasus – or the works by any of the other contemporary American artists included in the collection at the time.
(Photo Left) Lawrence Fodor, Stochastic Red-Orange/Yellow oil, wax, alkyd on canvas,26 x 25 inches. (Photo Right) Koan Box Blue-Green/Blue/Red,oil, wax, alkyd & gold leaf on cigar box 10.5 x 8.25 inches. Photos courtesy of Linda Durham Contemporary Art.
Sorry, guys and gals, I know all too well how the State Department’s Art in Embassies program works and not just in Athens. It’s a terrific way for Ambassadors and their spouses to sport an expensive collection of quality American art at their residences wherever they may be.
That's OK, in and of itself. It is not, however, a terrific way to have the works seen by people off the Ambassadorial cocktail, dinner, lunch or reception circuit. This means that 99.99 percent of Athenians likely missed out on seeing “Greek Contributions to Mankind.”
What is the problem?
I don’t know what the problem is with the Art in Embassies program – whether the issue is insurance or security or both – but I found it nigh impossible to shake loose even a representative sampling of the paintings destined for a residence to display them elsewhere – even in the toniest museum or, heaven forbid, an American Cultural Center. Been there, tried it and lost. It’s also nigh impossible for an Ambassadorial spouse to make the residence open to student or other groups to view a collection she (or he) painstakingly selected. Forget it. Even pre-9/11 Diplomatic Security threw conniptions you wouldn’t believe.
Back in the dark ages it didn't really matter because. . .
Once-upon-a-time back in the dark ages, it didn’t matter all that much because when there was a US Information Agency and the Agency had funds for both large and small scale exhibits of various sorts, we did display paintings such as Fodor’s as part of art exhibits abroad. I remember working on the set up of an exhibit of American Small Sculpture and Graphics in Athens in early September 1970. This impressive exhibit included, among others, a work by Frank Stella. We displayed the works at the Hellenic American Union, our then Binational Center, in downtown Athens. The exhibit had already been on display in India and Pakistan and after Athens it was destined for Turkey.
Since that early experience in Athens, I’ve also been involved in helping put on exhibits at other American-related Cultural Centers as well as museums not connected to the US government. Yes, there was always adequate security: that was part of the deal. Never once did we incur a mishap. And the works of art were always well received by the viewers – not just the few people invited to dine or have cocktails with an Ambassador.
"Georgia O'Keeffe and Ansel Adams: Natural Affinities"
Last December I stopped in to see the special Georgia O’Keeffe and Ansel Adams exhibit at the Museum of American Art in Washington, DC. I had seen it in Santa Fe at the O’Keeffe Museum where the show originated but it was really crowded when I was there and besides I wanted to see it in a larger space. While I was at the Museum of American Art, I had a chat with the clerk in the gift shop who – as it turned out - was far more helpful that the woman at the reception desk or the people in media relations who never bothered to return my subsequent phone message requesting access to media photos so that I could illustrate a post on the exhibit. What I did learn from the sales clerk, however, was that the exhibit was particularly popular with Europeans who had said it was difficult to see works by O’Keeffe in Europe. And if O’Keeffe paintings are not on display in Europe, it’s far less likely that they are available elsewhere for public viewing outside the US.
America Houses Need American Exhibits, Too
So, it seems to me if the Obama Administration is serious about reestablishing America Houses (or Centers) throughout the Muslim world then it needs to rethink the current restrictions on exhibits – because, believe me, there needs to be something attractive and compelling on the walls and in the exhibition halls of those institutions. Maybe the Art in Embassies art is – for whatever reasons – off limits to those of us plebians, but then a public diplomacy office with sufficient funding, know-how, and ability to coordinate exhibits (and this takes skill and know-how) needs to be established.
It can be done – but not the way the State Department’s public diplomacy efforts, staff and budgets operate now.