De Young Art Museum, San Francisco: RICHARD DIEBENKORN, the Berkeley Years

Richard Diebenkorn photographed in his studio, at de Young Museum, San Francisco

Richard Diebenkorn, whose painterly landscapes vibrate with the rich colors of California, was a pivotal figure in American art of the mid-twentieth century and one of my favorite painters of all time.  From 1952 to 1966 he painted in his studio in Berkeley, California. The de Young Museum in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park has mounted an exhibit of the paintings and drawings of that period in a stunning show which I went to see a few weeks ago.  (The show will be up until September 29, 2013.)

Figure on a Porch, 1959

The exhibit, which includes 131 paintings and drawings, is arranged chronologically from his earlier abstract period to his later use of figures, interiors and landscape themes. On the day we visited (a weekday during the first week of school) there were relatively few people in the exhibit which allowed both close-up and distant views.  When close-up the richness of color and three-dimensionality of the application of the paint can be appreciated.  Most of the paintings are large and when seen from across the room the overall composition becomes dominant.  Photography inside the exhibit is not allowed, but you can preview a number of the paintings here.  Among my favorites is Berkeley #44--I bought a poster so I can continue to enjoy it at home.

Photography of Rose Mandel, book by Susan Ehrens

We also went to see the exhibit of Rose Mandel photographs while we were at the museum.  She was a friend of Diebenkorn and photographed him in his studio.  Her photographs, mostly 4 x 5 inch black and white silver gelatin prints, include a series called The Errand of the Eye (from a poem by Emily Dickinson), in which she depicts close-ups of nature. In another series she went around San Francisco photographing reflections and graffiti.  The remarkable thing about her photographs is her ability to keep a sharp focus the part that she wants you to look at and let the rest of the picture be out of focus, or blurry.

A trip to the de Young would not be complete without a visit to the Tower to take in the view of San Francisco from nine stories above the ground.  Even with the fog, it is impressive.  We ate lunch in the museum café and afterward took a stroll around the outdoor sculpture garden which includes a giant safety pin, ceramic apples strewn across the lawn like over-size bowling balls, and pieces by Louise Nevelson, Barbara Hepworth and others.

Safety Pin Sculpture by Claes Oldenburg

For information about planning your visit to the museum, click here.
For more about another recent exhibit at the De Young Museum, see my post on the Girl With a Pearl Earring exhibit, June 17, 2013.

Ceramic Apples by Gustav Kraitz