Friday, May 22, 2015

Leelinau Falls



Alison Saar was born in Los Angeles in 1956 to a well-known African American artist, Betye Saar, and an art conservationist, Richard Saar. Alison became a sculptor. Saar earned her B.A. from Scripps College in California and an M.F.A. from Otis Art Institute, Los Angeles. She began making sculpture that focused on the theme of cultures of the African heritage. Her work has been exhibited and is represented in collections including: the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Studio Museum in Harlem and the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York.

The sculpture she created for Laumeier was carved before it was given its name, while perusing a book on mythology, Saar discovered Leelinau, a North American Indian legend, the story spoke to her work and gave her sculpture its name. It was added to Laumeier Sculpture Park’s collection in 1997. Saar learned of the ledgend of Leelinau. She was attracted to a nearby sacred grove that was inhabited by spirits and fairies.

Leelinau loved  the solitude of the forest. Her parents arranged for her marriage but she was quite distressed and went to the woods to find solace. Leaning up against a tree, she heard the voice of a tree spirit whispering to her. Leaving her family and friends. Leelinau, on the eve of her wedding day, fled to the arms of the Tree Spirit instead of meeting the man her parents had chosen, Leelinau, which means delight of life. Saar intended that the wooden female figure and the oak tree would increasingly becoming one over time through natural degradation.

Tragically, Leelinau fell from her perch high in a tree located in a special place along one of the trails at the Laumeier Sculpture Park. At a recent meeting of docents at Laumeier, there was a sigh of relief and some bittersweet laughter about the ephermeral nature of life and art. And so we mourn the loss of treasure hidden away at our jewel – part park – part museum – all St. Louis. 


(above) Leelinau in better days was installed in the height of an oak tree along a trail at Laumeier Sculpture park, Now on the heels of the Mother's Day Art Fair in May of 2015 she lies in pieces (middle) and a last peek of the wire hair with leaf detail (bottom). Below: Laumeier e-newsletter in February 2016 copy.

WHERE DID THEY GO?
Alison Saar, Leelinau, 1997

Alison Saar's Leelinau, 1997, formerly located in Laumeier's Eastern Woodland, was inspired by the legend of Leelinau, a North American Indian girl who was enticed by the sacred wood inhabited by spirits and fairies. Growing up, Leelinau preferred the solitude of the forest to the company of people, so she escaped to the woods for comfort when her parents arranged her marriage to an older man. There, she heard the voice of a tree spirit whispering to her, asking her leave her family and follow him. On the eve of her wedding, Leelinau retreated to the sacred wood to be with the tree spirit forever. Fragments of lore and myth like this one, as well as the customs from culturally diverse backgrounds, echo in Saar's powerful artworks.

Leelinau
 was hung upon the side of a tree along the Art Hike Trail, with her long hair hanging almost fourteen feet from the top of her head. Saar intended for Leelinau to be an ephemeral artwork which would decay with exposure to the elements over time, and the artist confirmed this intention during her 2014 visit to Laumeier. In May 2015, a storm destroyed Leelinau past the point of repair, and she was respectfully de-commissioned from Laumeier's collection on her 18th birthday.

Kelsey McGinnis, Graduate Research Assistant
   


Saturday, May 9, 2015

Judging the Show - Art Fair 2015

Typically, 15,000 come to the annual three-day Mother’s Day weekend Art Fair at Laumeier Sculpture Park in Sunset Hills. This is the 28th annual fair -- food vendors, a wine garden, live music and 150 exhibitors add to the experience. Ceramics, textiles, jewelry, mixed media, painting, photography, printmaking, drawing and sculpture are on display and for sale. The effort for Laumeier and each participating artist is significant. It’s a big deal.




Laumeier Sculpture Park is a living laboratory where artists and audiences explore contemporary art. It is one of the first and largest dedicated sculpture parks in the country. It is an institution of international significance as well as a unique complement to the cultural landscape of the St. Louis region. The Art Fair is one of those times the general public comes to visit this regional (arguably international) treasure. This perennial showcase is an important part of a larger conversation about contemporary art.  

Laumeier Sculpture Park will complete construction of the Adam Aronson Fine Arts Center and renovation of the Kranzberg Education Laboratory for Art this year (2015). Ambitious plans on the horizon that will provoke dialogue about art and its very real impact on how we view the world. It is an exciting time at Laumeier Sculpture Park. So here we have a community engagement that is truly a celebration of art and artists. All of the exhibitors are winners but a short list are recognized as those judged to be among the best of show. The process, of course, is somewhat secretive. It involves scrutiny of work on display prior to the show in full swing. To win recognition is a validation that doesn’t compensate for the expense and commitment of traveling from points near and far -- Creve Coeur, Chesterfield, Ballwin in our back yard to U.S. points  midwest, west, southwest, southeast and northwest and northeast.       

This year, rain is in the forecast but it is unlikely that it will dampen the spirit of what it means to be an artist. Laumeier nurtures emerging artists at art camps, it offers docent tours of its collection and welcomes guests to study and view monumental and contemporary sculptural art in an inviting public place. But it is this showcase of these passionate artists turned merchants over this weekend that reminds all of us of the dedication it takes to be a be a viable artist. Of course, jury recognition and/or revenue from sales at this show has little to do with acceptance of  the artist vision consistent with curatorial platforms. That is another matter entirely. Regardless of your position on what is or is not ART – pay your ten bucks, have a glass of wine, purchase something for your living room that matches your couch, have some fun  In that context you are still contributing to the discourse. Your opinion matters! And maybe (hopefully) you will come back and visit Lauemeier when it is FREE and the sun is shining.   






Sunset Hills (MO) – Artists at Art Fair 2015 included Jane Johnson from Port Charlotte, Florida Mark Waninger from Jamestown, IN with cheese plate made of woods; Leonard Tinnell from Missoula, MT; Holly Foss from Minneapolils, MN