CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA WELCOMES PICASSO, CHAGALL, MIRÓ AND RENOIR

Exhibit Brings European Modernism to Historic City’s Art Scene

CHARLESTON, SC
February 23, 2005

Ella Walton Richardson Fine Art Gallery in association with Timothy Yarger Fine Art of Beverly Hills, California, is honored to present THE most groundbreaking show to hit Charleston South Carolina, adding a new dimension to Charleston’s art world— the distinguished exhibition, Museum Collected 20th Century Masters: Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, Joan Miró, and Pierre Auguste Renoir opening Friday, May 6, 2005, at the Ella Richardson Gallery, located at 91 Broad Street in Charleston. The exhibition runs through July 9, 2005, with all works available for acquisition.

The exhibition is a triumphant celebration of both modern expression and innovation in the graphic arts. The selected works in this world-class exhibition span eight decades of Modern Art, and showcase the spirit and genius of these artists in one setting. The exhibition is a unique opportunity to view works by these masters and to experience their influences, inspiration, and shared ideas while they distinguished themselves and secured their prominence in art history.

Love, romance, family, creativity and self-expression transcend cultures and generations. The themes that are brought forth in the upcoming exhibition thrive ever so much today as they did decades ago. To look at a work of Miró it may not seem unusual in 2005 but reflecting upon the political, social, and economic time in which the 20th century Masters were creating art it was indeed revolutionary. The individual sensibilities of Picasso, Chagall, Miró, and Renoir towards the evolution of their era are vividly expressed through the distinctive mediums of the graphic arts, drawing, and, of course, painting.
Printmaking, its various mediums, and inherent expression have a fascinating history. The techniques, which draw upon 1,000 years of experimentation and lithography, were employed in a truly revolutionary manner during the artistic careers of Chagall, Miró, Picasso, and Renoir. In the exhibition you will experience examples of printmaking by these masters including aquatints, etchings, linoleum cuts, and lithography.

Picasso (1881 – 1971)
Picasso is the most famous artist of the modern era and perhaps the most legendary artist of all time. A master of many styles, Picasso became the founder of Cubism in 1907 with his painting Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, a landmark in the history of modern art.
Picasso was a great draughtsman and a master of the line. He, himself, expressed “The graphic arts are … my favorite medium”. The process of Printmaking requires a balance of mastery and inventiveness, which Picasso ingenuously employed. He was imaginative towards traditional techniques and able to coax new and inventive methods to further his artistic intent in the area of printmaking.

Miró (1893 – 1983)
Miró is one of the 20th Century’s most well known, distinctive, and powerful artists. He responded to a dazzling range of stimuli throughout his long creative life. The first artist of the 20th Century Modernists to create works of art representing “that which he saw in his mind, not which everyone else saw around them“. It is interesting to note that Miró himself said that he had never painted an abstract painting.

Chagall (1887 – 1985)
Completing the triumvirate, Russian-born French painter and designer, Marc Chagall is distinguished for his surrealistic inventiveness. He fully expressed his artistic identity through his visualization of love, romance, and poetry; his cultural heritage; and the circus. There is a romantic notion tied to the classic iconography throughout his career incorporating places important to him. He is recognized as one of the most significant painters and graphic artists of the 20th Century. Chagall’s distinctive use of color and form is derived partly from Russian expressionism and was influenced decisively by French Cubism. His numerous works represent characteristically vivid recollections of village scenes and incidents in private life, uniting recollection with folklore and fantasy.

Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841 – 1919)
Renoir is the inspirational elder to the modernists, setting the stage for visual revolution through the advent of Impressionism. Renoir was primarily interested in portraiture and his prints showcasing close friends and family members as his sitters are exceptional. These graphic works are collected worldwide by museums and private collectors. His sensuous appreciation of color and light, his ample nudes, and the charming poetry of his works have made him the best loved of the Impressionists among many aficionados.

The celebrated achievements and worldwide success of these masters makes it understandable why museums around the world continue to dedicate extensive energy and resources to their Modern Master collections. On this rare occasion Ella Walton Richardson Fine Art Gallery in association with Timothy Yarger Fine Art features a survey of prints that will be on exhibition and for acquisition.

Ms. Richardson, founder of Ella Walton Richardson Fine Art Gallery, has been devoted to bringing the beauty of the visual arts to prominence in Charleston for over a decade. Through her tenure as the President of the Charleston Fine Art Dealers’ Association, she brought much-needed attention to the lack of funding and resources for visual arts programs in Charleston Public Schools. In her own art gallery, located in the heart of Charleston’s downtown historic district, she has brought together the finest work of internationally recognized painters, sculptors, photographers, and designers of America, Europe, and Russia. Each year she presents several shows highlighting the new creations of such valued artistic talents as Aleksander Titovets and Jove Wang. She also explores her own visual fluency through the mode of photography.

Mr. Yarger is a prominent collector and gallery owner in Beverly Hills, California, with over twenty years of scholarship and consultation in developing collections of contemporary artists including David Hockney, Andy Warhol, Sam Francis and 20th Century Modern Masters such as Marc Chagall, Joan Miró, Pablo Picasso, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir. TYFA is known to art collectors worldwide for its knowledge of fine art, refined selection, and professionalism.

Calendar of Events in Association with 20th Century Masters:

Thursday, May 5, 2005 – 7 p.m.
How to Add 20th Century Masters to your Collection
Even the savviest of collectors continue to hold interest in having the best of the 20th century’s avant-garde visual arts hanging in their home. Whether you have a budding interest in adding precious works of visual creativity to your collection, or you are a long term Modern Art Aficionado, this presentation and discussion will certainly lead both your eyes and your heart in making more informed fine art purchase decisions. Timothy Yarger, of Yarger Fine Art, Beverly Hills, California, an eloquent collector and fine art dealer with connections across the art world, will speak on the finer details of drawings, etchings, lithographs, and paintings by four of the world’s most well-known 20th century artists. Art enthusiasts and collectors will be able to share questions and seek advice from this respected expert in the fields of both twentieth century European visual arts, Print-making as a medium, and art acquisition.

Friday, May 6, 2005 – 5 to 8 p.m.
Opening of the 20th Century Masters Exhibit
An Art Collector’s Haven: the evening opening for 20th Century Masters will be a stunning achievement for Charleston, South Carolina. Art aficionados will find all of the hallmark successes of 20th century Modernism: the poetic mastery of Chagall, the symbolically charged triumph of Miró, and the celebrated Cubism of Picasso. For enthusiasts looking towards the influence of Impressionism, there will be the intuitive illumination of Renoir. Truly, there is no finer arts destination than the coming Spring at Ella Walton Richardson Fine Art Gallery.

Art Aficianados from beyond Charleston: A special package has been created just for you at the luxurious Charleston Place Hotel. Guests will enjoy a one-night stay at a preferred rate, an invitation to the May 6th Opening of 20th Century Masters: Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, Joan Miró, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and a private tour of the exhibit led by Timothy Yarger on the morning of Saturday May 7th. Please call 843-722-3660 for further information.