During my SFMoMA trip, after we visited the museum, I took a walk to the nearby Berggruen Gallery to view some of the works being showcased there.
The gallery was spacious and minimal, as one would imagine an art gallery to be. White walls with a medium beige (teak? pine?) colored hardwood flooring. The flooring made quite the impression on me because my shoes decided that this quiet gallery would be the place they'd start squeaking with every step. (I was certain the gallery staff could pinpoint my exact location every time I moved.) The building was three stories; the first was what you walked into from the street, followed by a lower basement-esque level. The upstairs could be accessed from the first floor.
The first floor was primarily focused on the abstract art of Paul Kremer. Kremer was born in 1971 in Chicago, IL. The gallery describes his work as "referencing everything but performance art." His works in this gallery exhibition were painted with bright bold colors and strong shapes. It was immediately clear that each abstraction was painted with confidence. His work felt familiar, in a strange way, despite having never seen the work or the artist before this gallery visit. One of the gallery's staff commented that it was the forms that evoked that feeling, and I can definitely see their point. Shapes and form are some of the first things that children are able to grasp; the world is made of shapes and they reduce forms to their simplest shapes, like a square and a triangle to compose a little house.
Float 61, Paul Kremer, 2022. Acrylic on canvas.
My personal favorite was Float 61, which pictured above. This painting immediately reminded me of a setting sun dipping beneath water, though I'm sure that's not what the artist intended. Still, I see the sun, orange-tinged by the long wavelengths that form a sunset. It could just be a ball in water, however, as the name seemingly implies an object that is floating.
Another artist featured was Richard Misrach. Born in 1949 in Los Angeles, CA, he began to photograph anti-war riots and other societal issues, such as the homeless on Berkeley's Telegraph Avenue. Throughout his career Misrach has connected art with the political, seeking to make an impact with his work. He has photographed homelessness, natural and manmade objects and occurrences, chemical plants, the American South, and the US-Mexico border, among others. Misrach personally describes his work as "a navigation between the extremes of the political and the aesthetic."
The first photograph in the gallery I took a picture of was titled Untitled (Acrobat Super Grid #8), By Richard Misrach.
This photo depicts two people standing in water, surrounded by nothing but water without even a peek of land coming through. This creates a soft blue-green backdrop, textured with the ripples of water. Directly in the center of the photograph two people are seemingly caught up in a dance or a synchronized swimming routine. The man holds a woman above his head; she is perfectly balanced with all limbs pointing outwards.
Part of the appeal to me, for this work, is that watery background. It conveys movement. After all, the water was in motion, and is frozen in place by photography. The figures in the middle of the print imply a strong vertical line down the center despite only the male figure positioned correctly in that direction. Technical details aside, there is something nostalgic about this photo. It's muted color scheme comes across like a memory that is being fuzzily recalled. It's peaceful, perhaps even wistful.
Untitled (Acrobat Super Grid #8), Richard Misrach, 2012, print made 2016. My picture.
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