Modern Perspectives at SAAM

"We the People" of the DC area are digesting what looks like a looming government shutdown. Within this political disarray, I find myself escaping to art, and thus rushing to the recently opened modern galleries at the SAAM / the Smithsonian American Art Museum to take in its new endeavors of its revitalized galleries that encompass modern and contemporary art.

A renovation not only architecturally but also conceptually bringing the gathering of works of art that show unity and inclusion of all artists with various genres from paintings, sculptures to music + video installations.
To fully understand art, one has to comprehend where it is stemming from - the vision, voices and perspectives of each artist with their own personal experience is evident in this carefully curated collection. If you want to see stories that exude perspective and deliver personal messages along with strong narratives then head to the modern and contemporary galleries at the SAAM which showcase art spanning from the 18th century to the present in “American Voices and Visions". The collection presents a multitude of American art from the 1940's to today.
As I walked into the modern and contemporary galleries, I was greeted by a beacon of light by Jenny Holzer titled "For SAAM" which as you can assume from the title has been custom-made to the SAAM museum. The cylinder-shaped column of light is created from an electronic LED array with white diodes demonstrating a swirl of texts and words in constant movement. Throughout her career, Holzer's work of the written word was created with the purpose to engage the audience in a thought provoking dialogue intending for the birth of deep thoughts. This tower of light, I feel is the best of her work since it fully engages one through light, sight, shape, text and movement to experience the sentiment of her saying, "The most profound things are inexpressible."
Beyond Jenny's remarkable tower of light, Dan Miller's "Untitled" is a mesmerizing web of work. Produced by simple materials such as pen, ink and acrylic on paper. Dan's mountain of scribbles of layered words over and over one another create dark clouds made up of texts that disappear into instant abstraction. The inked scribbles onto the 2D surface are built up like wire in constant motion to jump at the viewer composing an illusion of a 3D swirl. An autistic artist, Miller's abstraction grabbed me in such a transcendental way evoking a connection to this ethereal delicate work.
Moving on, William T. Wiley's "Studio Space" caught my attention. The acrylic and charcoal on canvas artwork presents a drawing of the artist's cluttered studio done mainly in charcoal on white canvas while right smack in the middle of this large painting sits a beautiful red square block. For an artist to choose to juxtapose and almost mishmash such different elements together is a stroke of genius. Art in a way is measured by what we see; and in this I see a masterpiece. It is the choices that an artist makes visually that can make or break a work of art; and placing that strong flat red square over a black and white gestural drawing also transcends the 2D surface allowing the sprint of layers to elicit depth and profound meaning .
The galleries also have exquisite works by Post-WWII abstractions such as giants in art like William de Kooning and Joan Mitchell. If you are an avid lover like I am of the 1950's abstract expressionist movement, then Joan Mitchell's "Marlin'' oil on canvas painting is a feast to the eyes. Strong and powerful brush strokes jump out to the viewer, almost imploring one to wake up to this enigmatic painterly explosion of energy that screams to be seen. I also found the work of Martine Gutierrez's "Clubbing" to be engaging in a fun and explorative way. Gutierrez's installation draws us via lights to a dance floor where creativity and liberation come together in a dance towards self-discovery.
These amazing works and others within the collection seem to hint to the idea that the quietest ones of all of us have the most to say. Art after all is a form of self expression!
The Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) is free and open to the public. SAAM is located at: 8th and G Streets, NW, Washington, DC 20004 - Hours: Mon - Sun:11:30 am‑7:00 pm
SAAM's link: https://americanart.si.edu/