Tuesday, February 9, 1999
Artist brings Jewish history to life
ART: Larry Rivers reveals cultural roots in paintings at
Skirball show
By Erin Beatty
Daily Bruin Contributor
Larry Rivers is one of a select few who can make history as
entertaining and aesthetically pleasing as a "Where’s Waldo"
activity book.
In a rare Los Angeles appearance, his series of historical
paintings named "History of Matzah: The Story of the Jews" are on
display at the Skirball Cultural Center through May 30. The three
paintings use various symbols and pictorial representations of
personal experiences to illustrate almost 4,000 years of Jewish
history.
A New York artist, Rivers has been painting since the late
1940s. Although he started as a jazz musician, he was a crucial
painter during the Abstract Expressionist movement.
Barbara Gilbert, curator of the exhibit, explains the innovative
trends that characterize Rivers’ work.
"He was a precursor to Pop Art, using images from popular
culture that we can identify with," she says.
Taking advantage of previous pieces, Rivers’ art depicts
familiar pieces such as Michelangelo’s "David" or Leonardo da
Vinci’s "The Last Supper." Yet the artist reshapes the famous
works, making subtle, humorous changes.
"Something he has done consistently throughout his career is
look for images in art history, popular culture and in life that he
can then appropriate, borrow and reuse. All of the images (on the
paintings) are from some place else," Gilbert explains.
Some examples of this reworking are Rivers’ face painted on
Michelangelo’s "David" and the image of his cousin as Jesus Christ
in da Vinci’s "The Last Supper," a painting which the artist
cleverly renamed "The Last Seder." Another image used as background
for the three pieces is a large matzah, a loaf of unleavened bread,
as indicated by the work’s name.
Rivers uses these images to make the piece more comprehensive
for his audience, allowing them to understand the artwork through
common images and written labels.
"What’s wonderful about his artwork is that he wanted to make
sure it really communicated. He likes to label things," Gilbert
comments.
"History of Matzah" was a commission by a New York collector of
art who asked Rivers to do a painting representing the history of
the Jewish religion. However, his project quickly grew.
"When he started researching, (Rivers) realized that he couldn’t
tell the story in one painting; he needed to do it in at least
three. That is how the project grew to this dimension," Gilbert
explains.
The painting, which is mounted on the wall greeting incoming
viewers, has only been exhibited three times prior to its current
showing at Skirball Cultural Center. It has never been seen on the
West Coast.
The first picture deals with the period before the diaspora,
starting with a depiction of Rembrandt’s "Moses and the Ten
Commandments" in the upper left hand corner. The story moves
through various images appearing on the large collage. The painting
depicts many historical occurrences such as the fall of Jericho,
Egyptian artisans at work, and even the death of Alexander the
Great. The first painting closes with Rivers’ depiction of Jesus
and Christianity on the lower right hand corner.
The second painting, which begins where the first picture ends,
discusses European Jewish tradition, dealing with the medieval
period through the 19th century. Recognizable symbols include a
small blue-scaled fish representing the Leviathan (a monstrous sea
creature and messianic symbol) and a large Torah scroll. Once
again, the image of Rivers’ cousin appears, reading the Torah.
Finally, the last piece depicts immigration to America, taking
its scenes from various pictures of the time period. The diverse
images include the Statue of Liberty, factory workers and a
scattering of various names shown to represent the way immigrants’
last names were altered when they entered the country.
One eye-catching image of the final painting in the series
occurs on the lower center of the panel: two scenes of the same
person, one in East-European garb and then again in American
clothing.
Gilbert explains that this panel is one Rivers felt especially
comfortable with because he is the child of Eastern European
immigrants.
Gilbert adds, "It is funny because it is a history lesson, while
it is also his own personal history, his own personal story."
ART: Larry Rivers’ "History of Matzah: The Story of the Jews" is
showing at the Skirball Cultural Center through May 30. Admission
is $6 to $8. For more information, call (310) 440-4500.
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