The recent showing of “Leonardo Live” at the Orcas Center was an experience; an experience in disappointment, frustration, and sometimes outright anger at the U.K.’s National Gallery for misrepresenting what most of the viewers thought was going to be an enlightened experience of da Vinci’s genius.
Instead, we got a cocktail reception hosted by two obnoxious talking heads and their unqualified talking head guests who (with the exception of two, the conservator and the artist Michael Craig) asked the guests questions and then without stopping proceeded to answer their own questions, contributed no credible comments, and took up valuable time that could have focused on da Vinci’s work (especially his rarely seen drawings).
Only a practicing artist can give truly qualified information on how a work of art is put together. Art historians and museum curators are those that discuss the historical relevance of artwork but don’t actually know what it takes to execute a visual illusion. I won’t pretend to lecture anyone on creative writing, or music, because I am not a practitioner of those mediums. So what were the two hosts, Timothy Marlow and Ms. Marbles-in-her-mouth, trying to pass on to us? Something about the “hip” London art event scene perhaps? Beats me, and I’ve been a practicing artist, and eventually a full professor, for most of my adult life.
No comments were made on da Vinci’s use of weighted line and tonality in his drawings to connote light direction, and his work is all about light…whether it be on the human form or an ermine. His work is a classic example of how shape (two dimensional) becomes form (three dimensional) via the use of light. No mention of his technical illusion of space between the foregrounds and backgrounds. These are all formal elements that the uninitiated viewers would have benefited and learned. Also, no mention of his unbelievable perseverance at analyzing the human anatomy via his illegal use of cadavers from grave sites and monastery morgues. Instead, we got to see a frame maker whittling on a faux frame (could have been seeing a da Vinci drawing with that wasted film footage), and we got to see the assistants moving artwork, and we got to see both egotistical hosts with their faces in the camera (when we could have been seeing da Vinci’s paintings close up).
The Orcas Center is to be commended for bringing us this much heralded event and to enrigh us with the wonders of this remarkable genius. Too bad the U.K.’s National Gallery didn’t deliver.
Terry Johnson
(Terry Johnson is an Orcas resident/teacher and retired Professor of Art from Cornish College of Art.)
Thank you for putting perfectly into words my own reaction to this show. I hope the National Gallery gets the message.
Kristen Wilson
Here here. Thank you, Terry, for this honest review. I left the Leonardo Live film with the same disappointment and in fact, I think it looks like it is designed as an advertisement for the exhibit. Like a cheap and shallow TV show to entice people to “buy their product.”
We sure had a chance to learn the faces of a bunch of people most of whom know nothing about art. I kept thinking, “Get these people off, I want to see the Da Vinci’s art.”
Did you notice the lion in the unfinished picture? Not a word about Da Vinci’s choice to put a lion with an open mouth in front of a human being. Nothing on creating the illusion of depth, as you pointed out already, hardly a word on his use of color, trivializing of the value of the Mona Lisa and so few close ups of his drawings.
Luckily, the Live in HD is bringing us otherwise fantastic productions of opera and theater.
Naomi Aldort
Thank you, Terry Johnson, for speaking out so succinctly. My friend and I felt just that way about this disappointing evening.
How wonderful it would have been to see some of the drawings instead of these egomaniacs, who took over valuable time, contributing nothing.
Thank you Terry! I left the presentation feeling hungry, like I had missed the advertised banquet, and the pretty appetizer did not satisfy. I admired the deep chocolate gallery walls, with carefully placed Da Vinci drawings I would love to have seen and heard about. I thought I alone had missed the significance of Ms Marbles In Her Mouth and her interviews with photographers, architects and writers. I waited for the meat of Da Vinci with insights and close ups of his drawings. I am more impressed with your Da Vinci points here, and would gladly attend if you gave a casual presentation of his technique and qualities that make his work so brilliant and captivating….. with pictures. Please consider this as a request. My appetite is whetted. Thanks for the validation of my experience at the show. You said it right.
Terry, your review of this event is very accurate and appropriate.
Da Vinci was a genius who created superior art, studied human anatomy and was a engineer-scientist-inventor who applied vision and courage in his life on earth.
Ms. Marbles and Mr. Marlow are deeply enthused with their self importance and inflated egos. Da Vince will endure forever and Marbles-Marlow will be know only for their ill-wind and self-appointed “importance”
Several years ago we attended an exhibit in Victoria B.C. that presented the works and contributions of De Vinci. This superior display of his talent and skills required two days to absorb and appreciate.
Terry, thank you for your excellent critique of this non-event.
Thank you, Terry, for your excellent critique of the disappointment of the year. All of the above comments are right on. So much valuable time was wasted on talking twits. At times it resembled a Monty Python skit. Perhaps it would improve future presentations if Terry’s review and the additional comments were mailed directly to the National Gallery and to those responsible for this production.
Thank you for your review. I was disappointed that we could not make the show, but it seems that it is just as well we did not.
Dear all, I am the director/producer of the show and am disappointed that some of you were unhappy. It was my intention to try and share the privilege of access to the paintings that I have with those of you who can’t get into galleries after closing or, in this case, couldn’t get to the exhibition. I have seen that in blogs or comment trails like this, the first one who writes sets the tone: most of the hundreds of responses have been very positive – but actually I agree with some of what you say – though not the rudeness with which you address Tim and Mariella. But to get an art exhibition into international cinemas – for the first time! – meant dangling the carrot of ‘live’ (as commercially that has been a success in other genre). Actually the live elements were in my opinion unnecessary – at times even undermining – and I wont do it live again. I agree with Terry that we want detail and insight. There was a lot there: and next time, taking on board critiques, they’ll be more…