From cubist paintings to data-driven creations, the Blanton Museum of Art celebrates both modernism and the modern through two new, innovative and expertly curated collections.
Opening to the public on March 8 and available until Aug. 2, the collections offer over 80 works of art. “Run the Code: Data-Driven Art Decoded by Thoma Foundation X Blanton Museum of Art” focuses on art in an increasingly digital age. Just a room away, the second collection, “American Modernism from the Charles Butt Collection: From Edward Hopper to Alma Thomas” transports viewers to the Modernist period, ranging from the late 19th century through the 1970s.
Hannah Klemm, co-curator of “Run the Code,” said the collection showcases technology as a creative medium.
“Artists are using data and code as their medium,” Klemm said. “It’s like their paint.”
Most works emphasise interactivity, such as Camille Utterback’s “Untitled 5,” which uses a sensor to track the movement of viewers, tracing their shadows on the projection.
“This work, over the course of the day, will become an abstract painting made by the movements of all of us who want to participate in this work,” Klemm said. “(Utterback) wrote the code, but she’ll never know what it looks like on a daily basis.”
Movement becomes central to the exhibit, encouraging viewers to take an active role in the art.
“Anytime we see movement, it’s life, and so you can’t be not distracted by it,” said Julia Morton, an art writer with a focus on AI. “It’s really fascinating that this isn’t just new art, this is a new way of thinking about how we look at (art), how we live with (art).”
One of the only still images in the collection, created by UT alumnus Jason Salavon, depicts 100 graduation photographs layered over one another, entitled “100 Special Moments (The Graduate).”
“I’m really interested in (artists) using these data sets that show mass amounts of information in ways that then show those patterns, but in a visual way,” Klemm said. “It’s really beautiful and haunting.”
The second exhibit focuses on American modernism, encapsulating revolutionary art styles from cubism to precisionism. The entrance contains multiple framed paintings hung beside one another, greeting viewers with a rich tapestry of color.
“We wanted to do a salon hang to nod to the fact that the work lives in a domestic setting,” said Carter E. Foster, chief curator and deputy director of collections.
Split into seven sections, the exhibition allows for a diverse survey of Modernist painting. Located in the “Urban Encounters” section, Guy Pène du Bois’ painting, “Third Avenue El,” shows a woman riding the bus.
“Elevated trains used to go through Manhattan, and you can still experience this in Chicago, for example, where you are forced to be a voyeur,” Foster said. “You can look through windows to other people’s lives, and (du Bois is) kind of implicating you as a voyeur in this painting.”
The impressive collection of works comes from Texan Charles Butt’s collection, available to the public for the first time. Foster said Butt collects extensively, and Foster pointed to the Andrew Wyeth painting, “Sea Legs,” as representation of Butt’s interest in the sea, with the broader collection exemplifying his commitment to the collection and preservation of American art.
“Charles Butt is very interested in sailing and the ocean,” Foster said. “There’s a whole section about seascapes, and this is almost like a representation of him.”
