Marc Chagall’s The Musician.

Chagall comes to Appleton

By Andrea Seelhorst

This fall the Appleton Art Center willexhibit several paintings by Marc Chagall (1887-1985), one of the most loved artists of the 20th century. In addition, several exciting classes and events will be offered to the public.

Chagall’s paintings are quite unlike any others I’ve seen. Although he experimented with some of the elements associated with the Post-Impressionist movements, including Cubism (the blatant use of geometric shapes) and Fauvism (using color as the dominant aspect of the piece), he never completely conformed to any particular style in favor of spending a lifetime developing his own.

His subjects range from religious scenes to the whimsical personification of animals, making these paintings very accessible to anyone. His use of strong colors is masterful, and every inch of space is speckled with peripheral subjects. He used several symbolic themes in his work, and many appear in any one work. He was particularly fond of painting lovers, farmers, animals, biblical themes and instruments. These symbols reflect his belief in the importance of relationships, his early years when he grew up in a small community in Belarus, his Jewish heritage, and his love of music. The pieces have a surreal, dreamy quality, and even though a piece may seem abstract at first, it is likely that everyone will notice at least one subject hidden in a corner that holds meaning for them.

One of the paintings featured in the exhibit is The Musician (1925-26). At first, it would appear to show a person playing a cello, but taking a closer look will reveal that the instrument’s body is upside-down and it is actually the torso of the figure. It looks like the subject is pulling a bow held in both hands across the strings. Perhaps the literal substitution of an instrument for a body part was intended to make the statement that music is a personal expression of individuality, or that an instrument is not truly separate from the musician who plays it.

It seems that people from all walks of life have always responded to Chagall, since he saw his work well received and publicly displayed during his lifetime. He was commissioned to create murals and stained glass windows for several public buildings in the United States and Europe. For instance, his work can be seen at the Metropolitan Opera (New York City), the Chase Tower Plaza (Chicago), and on the ceiling of the Paris Opera House.

This exhibit includes an interesting study from the ceiling of the Paris Opera House. The painting is contained in a circle, just like the round section of the ceiling. He uses bright colors that would be further complemented by light from the chandeliers that would hang from the center of his painting. Chagall depicts winged fairies, dancers, lovers and a few animals in several seemingly different scenes that bleed into one another around the circular surface that contains the painting.

Chagall’s paintings demonstrate his ability to blend colors and themes together in a way that moves people. The most important idea that viewers can take away from visiting a Chagall exhibit is that love and kindness really are powerful enough to change the world. Chagall saw a lot of horrible things during his long life; he witnessed both world wars and escaped to the United States during the Holocaust. Yet he remained an eternal optimist and his steadfast belief that art can and does make a positive impact on everyone emanates from his work.

The Appleton Art Center will offer several Chagall-inspired art classes for children and adults this fall. Seth Weinstein, a pianist from New York City, will perform his composition, The Chagall Suite, on Saturday, Oct. 25 in the gallery at 7:30 p.m. There will be a pre-concert lecture at 6:45 p.m.

Chagall’s paintings will be on display Sept. 12 through Nov. 5, with an opening reception from 5-9 p.m. Sept. 12. The reception is free and the public is invited to attend. For more information regarding the exhibit, classes, or upcoming events, visit appletonartcenter.org.