Author(s): Samantha Friedman

Art & Design

Published in conjunction with the second major exhibition The Museum of Modern Art is organizing for the Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth, "Van Gogh to Richter: People, Places and Things" is an exploration of the myriad innovative ways modern artists have reinvented the traditional genres of portrait, still life and landscape from the 1880s to today. By looking closely at works in a range of media, the catalogue shows how these long-established categories have expanded and transformed from Post-Impressionism to Photorealism, reflecting changes in our conceptions of individuals, objects and spaces. The selection of works range from Frida Kahlos confident selfrepresentation to Gerhard Richters blurred likeness; from Paul Cezannes iconic tabletop arrangements to Jeff Koonss commodified objects; from Vincent van Goghs roiling olive trees to Richard Longs land art, each demonstrating how modernisms radical new forms have continuously revitalized art historys conventional subjects.
An introductory text reflects on how these artists both inherit and reject the traditions of their adopted genres, and three essays provide close readings of a key portrait (Henri de Toulouse Lautrecs "La Goulue at the Moulin Rouge"), still-life (Paul Cezannes "Still Life with Ginger Jar, Sugar Bowl and Oranges"), and landscape (Van Goghs "The Olive Trees") from the dawn of modernism, and expand to consider subsequent works.