Painting the Modern Garden: Monet to Matisse »
Exhibition explores the role gardens played in art history
The Royal Academy of Arts in London and The Cleveland Museum are exhibiting “Painting the Modern Garden: Monet to Matisse,” a collection examining the role gardens have played in art from the 1860s to the 1920s. The exhibition, with over 120 works, includes artists such as Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Paul Cézanne, Camille Pissarro, Vincent Van Gogh, Raoul Dufy, Pierre Bonnard and Henri Matisse.
Monet, arguably the most important painter of gardens, was also an avid horticulturist who cultivated gardens wherever he lived. The exhibition uses Monet’s works as the backbone of the exhibition, and explores the garden theme in modern art, including Impressionist works, Post-Impressionists and avant-garde artists. The collections highlights the evolution of the garden theme in context of artistic movements and social and political events.
Wally Findlay Galleries has a vast collection of garden paintings, including works by the artist’s represented in this exhibition, and building upon the collection with important contemporaries, such as Isabelle de Ganay, Maître de l’École de Rouen.
Featured Image: Henri Matisse: Florilege des Amours de Ronsard – from Wally Findlay Galleries Collection (136688)
The Town of Palm celebrated its new Town Square »
Newly restored Memorial Fountain and renovated and expanded Memorial Park
The Town of Palm Beach proudly celebrated its Town Square over the weekend of January 30th and 31st, revealing the restored 1929 Memorial Fountain and the newly renovated and expanded Memorial Park. The festivities included a private festive unveiling of the restored Mizner fountain followed by an major donor reception and an exclusive dinner on the Terrace at Wally Findlay Galleries that Saturday evening. On Sunday residents of Palm Beach, enjoyed a formal dedication ceremony at the newly renovated Town Square complete with an exhibit of vintage cars, musical performances, lectures and more.
The project, designed by architect Mark Marsh and landscape designer Jorge Sanchez, unifies Town Hall Square. Memorial Park has been expanded with sidewalk extensions, additional canopy trees around the fountain, and new plants and hedges. Many residents of Palm Beach, along with corporate sponsors contributed to the Memorial Fountain project, raising the funds necessary to complete this historic beautification project. Memorial Fountain was originally designed by Addison Mizner in 1929, inspired by Fountain of the Sea Horses — an 18th-century piece at Villa Borghese in Rome. Some of the same sponsors who had originally contributed to the Memorial Fountain project in 1929, were once again lead sponsors for this recent two year restoration project.
Wally Findlay Galleries is a proud lead sponsor of this project. In addition to hosting the private reception and dinner for over 125 major donors, the gallery commissioned a painting of the fountain by British Contemporary Impressionist Charles Neal to be donated to support the Town Square Celebration. Charles Neal has been represented by Wally Findlay Galleries for over ten years.
Featured Image: Charles Neal: The Terrace, Mizner Fountain – from Wally Findlay Galleries Collection (137093)
Centre Pompidou hosts retrospective of Wilfredo Lam »
On View through February 2016
Centre Pompidou in Paris will be exhibiting a retrospective of Cuban artist Wilfredo Lam, with over 400 paintings, drawings, prints and documents. Catherine David, the deputy director of the Centre Pompidou and organizer of the exhibition, wants the exhibition to take Lam out of the pigeonhole of “Surrealist” or “follower of Picasso” and to highlight the complexity of his work and his relationship to the world. The exhibition strives to highlight Lam’s work not based on his connections to the European avant-gardes, but as a great Modern who came from different influences.
The chronological sweep of the exhibition follows Lam’s life from his Chinese father and Afro-Cuban mother, during his studies in Spain, and to the Spanish Civil War and his fight for the Republican side. The collection includes canvases from early works which he left in Paris in 1938 with a letter of introduction to Picasso; his period in Paris and Marseilles of illustrations for André Breton’s poem Fata Morgana; and his lesser-known area of printmaking, Lam’s core medium from the 1960s onward.
Wally Findlay Galleries holds an extensive collection of Lam’s lithographs, available on view in Palm Beach and New York.
Featured Image: Wilfredo Lam: Demons Familieres (Pleni Luna Portfolio), 142/262, 1974 – from Wally Findlay Galleries Collection (132317)
Wally Findlay Galleries moving to New Location on 724 Fifth Avenue »
New Location Opening February 2016
After 50 years on 57th Street, Wally Findlay Galleries is moving to 724 Fifth Ave on the seventh floor with new spacious galleries occupying over 6,000 square feet. Wally Findlay Galleries has a rich history showcasing celebrated artists who have shaped the world of art both in New York and around the world over the past 150 years.
724 Fifth Ave is a stately twelve story building located in the heart of Fifth Avenue’s premiere shopping district. The building is home to some of the city’s most prestigious galleries and businesses and neighbors with some of New York’s most renowned attractions and retailers such as the Museum of Modern Art, Tiffany, Trump Tower, Bergdorf Goodman, Harry Winston, amongst others.
Wally Findlay Galleries looks forward to continuing the tradition of promoting and providing quality works by great artistic talents by practicing the highest standards in our relationships with both the artist and the collector.
Please contact the New York gallery for appointments during move or for more information: (212) 421 5390.
MoMA Hosts Exhibition of Picasso Sculpture »
On View Until February 7, 2016
The MoMA’s exhibition of Pablo Picasso sculpture (on view until February 7, 2016) features a staggering collection of about 140 sculptures, many which have never before been exhibited in New York, and reunites efforts not seen together since they were in Picasso’s studio. The exhibition is a survey of the innovative and influential work of the artist in three dimensions, the first such museum exhibition in the US in nearly half a century.
The exhibition focuses on the artist’s use of materials and processes, aiming to advance the understanding of what sculpture was for Picasso. Organized into chapters corresponding to the distinct periods during which Picasso devoted himself to sculpture the exhibition shows how Picasso constantly reinvented his work.
Wally Findlay Galleries is proud to present an exhibition of Picasso sculpture, prints, ceramics and paintings, paired alongside contemporary works by a French Modernist, Gilles Gorriti. The exhibition, Connections: The Roots of Modernism, explores the impact Picasso has upon modern and contemporary art.
Featured Image: Pablo Picasso: Horloge a la Langye, 42/100, 1956 – from Wally Findlay Galleries Collection (136632)
USA Today names Best Destinations for Shopaholics »
Palm Beach named as #2 on the List
The USA Today has named Palm Beach the #2 “Best Destination for Shopaholics.” The paper hails Palm Beach as having “Every imaginable luxury good… on display in this retreat for the East Coast elite.” Extravagant homes and high profile residents make the island a haven for lavish home goods, and rare items for collectors.
Wally Findlay Galleries opened its Palm Beach location in 1961 on Worth Avenue, inspiring collections for the residents of the island and visitors alike. Since the founding in 1870, the gallery’s mission continues to promote and provide quality works by great artistic talents with both good taste and uncompromising credibility.
Blouin Modern Painters releases 500 Best Galleries Worldwide »
Wally Findlay Galleries named one of the best galleries in United States and Canada
Blouin Modern Painters released their special issue of the 500 Best Galleries Worldwide in 2015. Rooted in the belief that as the art world continues its unprecedented expansion with bigger fairs, higher sales and more exciting talent, galleries remain at the epicenter of the constantly changing scene. The list, released each year, spans six continents and 36 countries, to find the best of this increasingly international market.
The issue also features interviews with some of the most influential gallery owners and directors, discussing achievements, upcoming artists, and the regional trends affecting the market.
Listed as one of the best galleries in Canada and the United States, Wally Findlay Galleries is proud to be included in this prestigious list.
Musee D’Orsay hosts retrospective of Pierre Bonnard »
Collection by the Post-Impressionist master on view from March 17 – July 19, 2015
Musée d’Orsay in Paris, France is hosting Painting Arcadia, a retrospective exhibition of Pierre Bonnard’s works from March 17 until July 19. The museum, which manages the artist’s output, is devoting the exhibition to all Bonnard’s creative periods.
Bonnard, a French painter and printmaker, was a founding member of the Post-Impressionists as well as an important member of Les Nabis. Bonnard’s works are characterized by intense colors and small brush marks. He preferred to work from memory, drawings and photographers rather than painting from life. His often complex compositions depict narrative and autobiographical scenes including landscapes, self-portraits, street scenes, and still lifes. Friends and family often made appearances in his work, and his wife, Marthe, was a frequent subject. Although Bonnard’s works depict ordinary scenes, he manages to develop a sense of intimacy, reflecting on psychological and sentimental situations, including themes of maternal tenderness, solitude and eroticism.
Bonnard has been considered one of the greatest painters of the twentieth-century, not only for the radiating colors, but for his ability to capture complex emotions and form poetic allusions in his compositions. As a leader in Post-Impressionist works, Wally Findlay Galleries is proud to have represented his work in our Chicago galleries from the early 20th Century continuously into and from the secondary markets today. Bonnard’s many different periods of work are regularly exhibited at our galleries.
Featured Image: Pierre Bonnard: Paysage aux Oliviers, 1944 – from Wally Findlay Galleries Collection (128652)
The Empire State Building Celebrates New Whitney Museum with Light Show »
Light show focuses on Contemporary and 20th Century works | May 1, 2014
On Friday, May 1 the Empire State Building celebrated its eighty-fourth anniversary with a light show, also marking the historic opening of the Whitney Museum of American Art’s new Renzo Piano-designed building. The light show focused on twelve iconic art works from the Whitney’s collection, with thirty minute interpretations of twelve different pieces by Georgia O’Keeffe, Edward Hopper, and Andy Warhol, among others.
Beginning at 8pm on Friday and running until 2am, LED tower lights were built to create a dynamic show. Most of the works that inspired the show will be on view at the Whitney as part of the building’s inaugural exhibition.
The Whitney Museum represents a range of twentieth-century and contemporary American artists, with a special focus on works by living arts. The Whitney’s permanent collection contains paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, photographs, films, videos, and new media by contemporary artists. It places a particular emphasis on exhibiting the work of living artists from its collection as well as maintaining an extensive permanent collection containing many important pieces from the first half of the last century.
Wally Findlay Galleries also places contemporary artists in high regard, representing over 25 artists from around the world. In addition to being one of the foremost authorities on Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, the French School of Rouen and School of Paris, Wally Findlay Galleries exclusively represents a group of distinguished contemporary artists and holds an extensive collection of modern works from the twentieth century.
Worth Avenue: historical & cultural destination »
Four Art Contemporaries Members go on tour of iconic avenue
On Tuesday, March 31, 2015, The Four Arts Contemporaries members took “The Wonder of Worth” an architectural tour of Worth Avenue led by Palm Beach historian Rick Rose. The walking tour concluded with an exclusive cocktail reception held at Wally Findlay Galleries, hosted by the Four Arts Contemporaries member and Gallery Director, Juan Pretel.
The hour long tour explored the unique architecture that makes up the shopping district, along with some little-known tidbits on the stores, people and history behind one of the most iconic streets in America. With perfect Palm Beach weather for an evening walk, over 70 members traveled down Worth Avenue learning about the historic origins of the famous avenue.
Wally Findlay’s rich history as one of Florida’s oldest and most-respected art galleries served as the perfect venue for the culmination of the tour. Wally Findlay Galleries Palm Beach location, since its opening in 1961, has been a destination for the arts. Its walls boast works by Impressionist, Post-Impressionists, Modern Masters and Contemporaries; while the gallery has been the host of countless charitable events, educational salon talks, and concert performances.
The Four Arts Contemporaries is composed of the young supporters of the Four Arts, with most members being in their 20s, 30s and 40s. During the season, November through April, these young supporters hold events encouraging the appreciation of art, drama, music and literature — the “four arts” represented by The Society. The Society of the Four Arts has been the cultural destination of Palm Beach, providing concerts, lectures, films, art exhibitions and more to the community, with a mission of sharing the finest art and cultural programming to the community.
Robert Indiana sculpture added to Portland Museum Collection »
“Seven” sculpture announces museum location at 7 Congress Square
The Portland Museum of Art (Portland, ME) recently placed the Robert Indiana sculpture “Seven” in front of the museum, announcing the museum’s presence at 7 Congress Square. The 3,000 pound, 8 foot tall sculpture was commissioned in 1980 by the Indianapolis Museum of Art as a series of sculptural numbers. However, the work was not created until the mid ‘90s, due to a lack of funding for the steel series.
The sculpture, which is the eighteenth piece by Indiana in the museums collection, is not only a significant acquisition for the PMA but also a meaningful addition to the public art in the city of Portland. It stands as a symbol of the revitalization of the arts district, a public sculpture, landmark and tourist attraction.
Indiana, one of the preeminent figures in American art since the 1960s, is most closely associated with the pop art movement. His highly original body of work explores the power of abstraction and language, and played a central role in the development of assemblage art, hard-edge painting and pop art. He paved the way for many artists to make the written word a central element of their oeuvre.
Most famous is Indiana’s LOVE image which first appeared in the painting Four Star Love in 1961. LOVE is a subject of great spiritual significance for the artist and has been featured in paintings, sculpture, prints and tapestries by Indiana. After an appearance on the Museum of Modern Art’s 1965 Christmas Card and the United States Postal Service stamp in 1973, LOVE permeated popular culture and was adopted as an emblem of the “Love Generation.” On view at Wally Findlay Galleries currently are adaptions of LOVE as tapestry along with screenprints by the artist.
Wally Findlay Galleries’ contemporary artists included in museum permanent collections »
Priscilla Heine | Mary Sipp-Green | Gilles Gorriti
With a 145 year history in art, Wally Findlay Galleries has established itself as a gallery committed to excellence in art, specializing in the Impressionists, Post-Impressionists, School of Rouen, and Modern Masters. Today, the gallery presents a distinguished group of contemporary artists, whose talent is both recognized and confirmed by inclusion in museum’s collections.
The Guild Hall Museum in East Hampton, NY has recently added works by Wally Findlay Galleries’ contemporary artist Priscilla Heine to the permanent collection. The museum’s collection holds 19th, 20th and 21st century art. With paintings, sculpture, prints, watercolors, photographs and drawings by internationally distinguished artists such as Pollock, Krasner, deKooning, and Lichtenstein. The museum continues to acquire works by donation and acquisition. The year-round schedule of changing exhibitions includes both solo and group shows, the annual Members Exhibition and the Student Arts Festival. Heine’s work ranges from color field painting to autobiographical representational material to austere landscapes and symbolic compositions inspired by a balance of internal and external landscapes. The elements of her drawing and painting combine to create a formal abstraction while allowing intimate references to weave in and out of layered paint.
The Butler Institute of American Art, in Youngstown, OH includes works by Wally Findlay Galleries’ contemporary artist Mary Sipp-Green. The Butler Institute is the first museum of American art. The original structure, dedicated in 1919, is a McKim, Mead and White architectural masterpiece listed on the National Register of Historic places. The museum’s mission is to preserve and collect works of art in all media created by citizens of our country. The museum houses Sipp-Green’s Twilight Falls and Quiet Morning in the permanent collection. The artist creates poetic landscapes, distinguished by her trademark skies. She excels at depicting the land around her, creating an ethereal landscape that goes beyond the surface reality.
The Moulins Albigeois contemporary Art Center in France hosted an exhibition for painter Gilles Gorriti at their contemporary art center. The art center, situated on the Tarn River in Southern France, is built inside restored and transformed water mills, which now house the Lapérouse museum, a hotel, housing, services of the General Council of the Tarn and contemporary art center, MILK. The association promotes contemporary French artists as well as the masters. Gorriti is an avid disciple of the French Modernist Movement, who, as a colorist, uses the full range of his palette to create subtle, unobtrusive fragments of delicate tones alongside vibrantly orchestrated blocks of color. He is a genius as a colorist and a master of texture.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art hosts “Cubism: The Leonard A. Lauder Collection” »
The exhibition features Cubist works by the Masters: Leger, Picasso, Braque and Gris
The Metropolitan Museum of Art will host “Cubism: The Leonard A. Lauder Collection” from October 20 – February 16. The exhibition features works by the cubist masters, Georges Braque, Juan Gris, Fernand Leger and Pablo Picasso. The eighty-one paintings, collages, drawings and sculptures are a gift from Leonard A. Lauder to the museum, one of the most significant gifts in the history of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The gift is transformative for the Met’s collections, bringing the Museum to the forefront of early 20th century art collections.
Cubism was one of the most influential art movements of the early twentieth century. It began as collaboration between Picasso and Braque, and eventually became a pioneering movement that redefined the concepts of space and time, dismantling the traditional perspective. At the time of Cubism’s birth, orders and ideas were being called into question, and these artists sought to create new forms of artistic expression that reflected these shifts in hierarchies and perceptions.
Wally Findlay Galleries proudly represents works by each of these artists in our collection featuring paintings, works on paper and ceramics. Visit the Palm Beach or New York Gallery to view the extensive collection of works by these artists.
The Norton Museum, West Palm Beach, holds Prints Exhibition “Master Prints: Durer to Matisse” »
The Exhibition features prints, etchings, engravings, and linocuts by modern and old Masters
From November 6 until February 15, The Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach will host the exhibition “Master Prints: Durer to Matisse.” The collection includes 40 works on paper, including woodcuts, etchings, engravings and lithographs. Highlights of the exhibition include Modern Masters such as Degas, Matisse, Picasso and Cezanne, and works by the old masters, including Durer, Rembrandt and Goya. A video demonstrating the engraving process and explanatory texts describing the role prints held in society before the advent of photography accompany the art.
The Norton Museum was founded in 1941, and Mr. Ralph Hubbard Norton and Jane Elizabeth Calhoun Norton were good friends and clients of Wally Findlay, who often donated works to their museum in West Palm Beach. Since then the museum has grown and evolved into an internationally recognized cultural institution. The permanent collection at the museum includes masterpieces of the 19th and 20th century, including works by Matisse, Bonnard, Monet, and Dufy.
Wally Findlay Galleries is proud of its extensive collection of prints and multiples, featuring many of the same great artists showcased at the Norton. Wally Findlay Galleries collection of lithographs, etchings and linocuts is on view now at the Palm Beach and New York galleries.
Wally Findlay Galleries Art Consultant Douglas Jencks reviews William Glackens Exhibit at Parrish Museum »
Exhibition featuring 75 William Glackens works loaned by private collections and leading museums across the U.S. – On View Fort Lauderdale, The Hamptons and Philadelphia
One of the highlights of my 8 days in the Hamptons and Shelter Island was the Parrish Art Museum’s exhibition of the work of William Glackens. The 75 works shown are from the 1890’s to the 1930’s and they demonstrate “absolute purity” and show his extraordinary variety of color which to me, makes them “irresistible”. He was not only a personal friend of Albert Barnes, but was also his advisor as they put together one of the most important art collections in the world. In turn, Mr. Barnes encouraged Glackens’ career and along the way purchased a number of the artists’ works, many which are in the Barnes Collection.
The museum was built with sky lights and open spaces which allows for natural light to enhance the paintings and show them in the light that they were painted in. Our painting, “Bather in Blue” was probably from the Long Island series and is equal to or perhaps even more accomplished than any work in the exhibition. I am forever a huge fan of William Glackens!
Exhibition Itinerary:
The Museum of Art | Fort Lauderdale | February 23 – June 1, 2014
Parrish Art Museum | Water Mill, Ny | July 20 – October 13, 2014
The Barnes Foundation | Philadelphia | November 8, 2014 – February 2, 2015
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