Upon walking past the curved walls of the first-floor hallways, visitors of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston are greeted by slightly sequestered galleries featuring curious, unsettling, and vibrant works from the Modern Art and Surrealist movements. These adjoining galleries, titled “Color and Spirituality in Modern Art” and “Beyond Reality: Surrealism in the 20th Century,” respectively, showcase art spanning nearly 100 years, multiple wars, and ever-changing artistic styles. Through the thoughtful placement of works, the curators present visitors with cohesive galleries that present a fluid narration, while still including a diverse array of pieces.
The first gallery that visitors encounter on their left is “Color and Spirituality in Modern Art,” composed of artists inspired by questions of artistic rules and meaning. The exhibit houses paintings by giants of modern art such as Henri Matisse, Piet Mondrian, and Paul Gauguin alongside other less prominent artists, including Marsden Hartley and Agnes Pelton.
According to the description for the gallery, many of these artists were proponents of Theosophy — a unique combination of Western occultism, Eastern religion, and modern sciences. These beliefs guided their works to suggest inner meaning instead of presenting a naturalistic depiction, an approach that is unmistakable in the gallery. By placing Arthur Dove’s “Spring” across from Wassily Kandinsky’s “Dunaberg,” the curators show the connections between and inspirations behind works from this period, as Dove’s abstract approach was directly influenced by Kandinsky’s writings on spirituality in art.
The overall movement of modern art was also heavily inspired by the work of Gauguin, whom the curators ensured was interspersed throughout the exhibit. This layout allows for each piece to build on the next, ultimately creating a complete image of the striking colors, silhouettes, landscapes, and people that characterized modern art from the late 1800s to the mid-1900s.
There is a seamless transition into the next room, which is dedicated to “Beyond Reality: Surrealism in the 20th Century.” This gallery similarly features a variety of artists, from René Magritte to Jorge Camacho, who collectively encompass the different styles within Surrealism. As the gallery overview suggests, stepping in truly feels like entering a dream world. The paintings depict nonsensical scenarios that can leave the viewer more confused the longer they look at them. Arshile Gorky’s organic forms and striking colors make up one of the more abstract paintings in the collection, especially when compared to Magritte’s realistic paintings across the room. These seemingly opposite styles demonstrate how many different interpretations of the surreal there were at that time, and the gallery allows visitors to recognize this diversity through its curation.
Remedios Varo imagines a reality where dresses have wheels for transportation and provide the wearer with a seat and drink holder in “Tailleur pour dames.” This work sits perpendicular to Magritte’s depiction of a larger-than-life stone chair reminiscent of Stonehenge in “La Légende des siècles.” His famed bowler hats even make an appearance in “L’Art de la Conversation,” again surprising the viewer with unrealistic proportions and settings.
These galleries, though off the beaten path of the MFA labyrinth, are a worthwhile stop that provide visitors with a quick, but thorough, glimpse into prominent art movements of the 19th and 20th centuries. The selection and inclusion of each piece not only creates discussion between the works, but also leaves visitors with a unique takeaway from experiencing the pieces together. The Impressionist and Renaissance wings are often visited and, while everyone would love a Leonardo da Vinci painting in their dorm room, the work of more modern artists is just as valuable. The stimulating colors and unpredictable forms found in these paintings are sure to lead to fascinating conversations and considerations. The “Color and Spirituality in Modern Art” and “Beyond Reality: Surrealism in the 20th Century” galleries are must-sees when visiting the MFA.
