After Cezanne

Over the holiday weeks, I had the pleasure of seeing two wonderful art exhibits, which have both since closed. "Cezanne and the Modernists" at the Montclair Art Museum was an aggregation of the effect that Cezanne had on his contemporary painters, sculptors and photographers, as well as those that followed him. He was one of the first of the abstractionists, and the major innovators of the abstract modern style. He affected everybody, including Picasso, Braque, and Arshile Gorky.

In fact, the second show I went to was the Arshile Gorky retrospective at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The Armenian-born American artist came of age after Cezanne's death, but his early work was heavily influenced by his French predecessor. Even though he was dead, Gorky was said to have "dialogued" with Cezanne by studying and painting (I say copying) Cezanne's actual work.

Now it is my turn. I found a cutting board laid out with fruit by my pal Arthur Liebersohn, so I dialogued with Cezanne, too.

Mummer's Parade, Philadelphia

I have always wanted to see the Mummer's Parade and this year I finally made it. It is held every New Year's Day in the center of Philadelphia and has been around for over 100 years. Around 10,000 heavily costumed participants march the three miles up Broad Street from South Philly to City Hall. Reminiscent of New Orlean's Mardi Gras, the marchers work all year making elaborate costumes (many of which are quite politically incorrect). The march is made up of the various clubs that spend thousands of dollars every year to build floats and design costumes. There does not seem to be any other purpose for the parade (such as a fundraiser for needy children) other than to have a good time and to perform in make-up and costume.

As the parade wound down, I found my way to the staging area where all the guys were packing up and breaking down their costumes, adding another chapter to the picture story.

I was struck by the wonderfully gaudy colors and the friendliness of the marchers, who all enjoyed having their picture taken.