DEGREE ZERO
Drawings From Mid-Century at MOMA
There is a new exhibition on view at New York’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), and as you might have imagined, it is one well worth your time. It is no secret that MoMA’s collection is one of the greatest in the world. On this occasion, it has pulled approximately 80 works from its archive for its new show Degree Zero: Drawing at Midcentury. It runs from November 1, 2020, through February 6, 2021.
The show portrays what the press release refers to as “the postwar…degree zero” attitude often manifested in a particular kind of mark-making—a graffiti-like scribbling, an elemental scratching—that is at the heart of what drawing is.” It shows the selected artists’ exploration of World War II’s aftermath by using graphic and visual language, with illustration being the chosen medium for them to approach this sort of “rebirth” period between 1948 and 1961. It was a medium that could take many forms and the ideal when attempting to create something from scratch, precisely what they needed during this so-called “degree zero” moment in time (which was also complicated politically and economically.)
The exhibition draws connections between artists and works of different nationalities, periods, and artistic movements. Featured are works by well-known artists from all over the world such as Joan Mitchell, Yayoi Kusama, Jackson Pollock, Louise Bourgeois, Jean Dubuffet, Henri Matisse, Hércules Barsotti, Eduardo Ramirez Villamizar, Saburo Murakami, and many more. Although many of the names are familiar, some of the works may differ from what we are used to seeing from them (it feels somewhat strange to see creations by artists like Yayoi Kusama that lack the vibrant colors or styles they developed later on.) Nigerian artist Uche Okeke’s work will be exhibited for the first time at MoMA, the original acquisitions and more recent works like his will be presented side by side. For example, MoMA hosted an exhibit in 1954 titled “This new abstract calligraphy,” which explored the new-found interest in Japanese calligraphy and how some American artists were heavily influenced by it. Degree Zero includes some of the drawings first shown in 1954. It also shows how the museum contributed to this significant period in art history.
It is one of the first temporary exhibitions at MoMA since its reopening following the Coronavirus lockdown. Along with Degree Zero, the museum is treating visitors to other beautiful places including a Donald Judd exhibit, Taking a Thread for a Walk (exploring the use of textiles in art throughout the centuries), plus a Félix Fénéon show.
Degree Zero: Drawing at Midcentury organizer is Samantha Friedman, Associate Curator in the Department of Drawings and Prints. Again, it runs through February 6, 2021. If you are a modern art lover in New York from now through early February, don’t miss your chance to check out this unique show.
