Review: OCEAN LINERS. stunning art deco and modernism exhibition at Peabody Essex Museum in Salem

mural by STANLEY SPENCER from epic series SHIPBUILDING ON THE CLYDE Riveters, 1941 IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM LONDON Ocean Liners Installation Peabody Essex Museum © C Ryan 20170908_114331

 A gorgeous Stanley Spencer.

OCEAN LINERS co-organized by the Peabody Essex Museum and London’s Victoria and Albert Museum closes October 9, 2017. The exhibition opens at the Victoria & Albert in February and continues through June 10, 2018.

There’s still time to catch one of the best shows of the year before it sails to London! Forget the theme and be ready to be continually swept off your feet by a who’s who of 20th century art and design, history, and one of a kind surprises (spoiler alert photographs of the installation below). Ocean Liners at the Peabody Essex Museum is high art with loans from important collections worldwide, well curated, and supremely installed. Its genesis stems from collector Stephen Lash and curators from the Peabody Essex Museum and London’s Victoria and Albert.

I was reminded of great design shows at MoMa and influential Modernism fairs during the 1980s at the Armory.

NEWS FLASH –  More than 1000 works of art from the collection of Stephen Lash, Peabody Essex Museum overseer, were gifted to the museum and announced this week through this exhibition. 

If you only have time for one work, make it the Spencer.

STANLEY SPENCER 
Riveters from the epic cycle Shipbuilding on the Clyde, 1941, in the collection of the Imperial War Museums, London. I have never seen one of these Spencers in person–what a surprise to find it here!

The photo above illustrates the left corner of the Spencer mural: it’s so vast you need to use a video to capture its mind boggling composition and entirety.

Spencer’s studies included field sketches unfurled on toilet paper–useful, cheap, and lengthy matrix:

Spotlighting in this post for artist, Morgan Faulds Pike:

The exhibition spotlights the FINEST EXTANT TITANIC CARVING FRAGMENT (arch at the threshold of the recital lounge), ca.1911, from the collection of Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, Halifax Nova Scotia Museum.

FINEST EXTANT TITANIC CARVING FRAGMENT arch recital lounge ca1911, Maritime Museum of the Atlantic,Halifax Nova Scotia- Ocean Liners Installation  Peabody Essex Museum © C Ryan 20170908_115342.jpg

Jan Matulka from Norfolk Southern collection | David and Susan Goode:

JAN MATULKA New York Harbor Paris 1925 NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORP - Ocean Liners Installation  Peabody Essex Museum © C Ryan 20170908_121220.jpg

There are many standouts in this exhibition

photographs September 2017 (click to enlarge and see descriptions)

Photographs/short video clips from my visit September 2017. Gloucester’s Zach Gorrell is a participating musician for the LIVE pianist performances. Alex Olsen playing when I was there.

Breathtaking corner vignette, exhibition pause, includes *gasp* wow poster and Winsor McCay silent film sinking of Lusitania  ” 25,000 drawings had to be made and photographed one at a time…” see film clips below

Ocean Liners Installation  Peabody Essex Museum © C Ryan 20170908_114649.jpg

from the museum:

sponsors = “Fiduciary Trust Company is the lead sponsor and Eaton Vance Management is a major sponsor. The exhibition is supported in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Carolyn and Peter S. Lynch and The Lynch Foundation provided generous support. The East India Marine Associates of the Peabody Essex Museum provided additional support.”

Live blogging- passengers come ashore in Gloucester from Holland America cruise ship Zuiderdam.

Happy travelers are such a joy! Meet Dean and Cathy King from Adelaide. They went to Washington and New York where they caught this Holland America cruise to Canada. They said the entertainment director outlined the demographics: 110 Aussies, 700 or so Canadians, 700 or so Americans, many countries represented by 10+ passengers and 13 New Zealanders, “to be precise.” They were squaring away their plans in Cruiseport until an 11:45AM tour to Rockport, and later walking downtown Gloucester. Their friends signed up for an 8AM tour. I spent time in Adelaide and loved it. I hope they have as great a time here, and memorable trip all around.

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Before reaching Cruiseport, passengers like the Kings are shuttled ashore by tender boats.

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The tenders hold more people than you think!

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As they came ashore they were greeted with soaring vocals of Three Sheets to the Wind.

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What a reception! Many visitors stopped to take their photo.

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Passengers stream upstairs to happy greeters.

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The lines ebb and flow with every tender.

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Maps and brochures are selected as passengers head outside to enjoy a day in Gloucester and Cape Ann.

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Volunteers like Peter Webber, Kathie Gilson, Lorre Anderson,  Charlene, Linn, Jeanne, and Elizabeth helping passengers

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CATA trolley route

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HarborWalk map is popular

Happy helpful greeting at the CATA table. How could it be otherwise–Heidi Dallin!

 

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Passengers heading downtown on the CATA trolley while others stand waiting for a CATA scenic bus.

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Unidentified American artist, “It’s good to be on a well-run ship, Holland America Line,” mid 20th century, ink on paper, gift of Stephen S Lash, 2010, collection of Peabody Essex Museum. The museum is featuring the art of Ocean Liners: glamour, speed, and style on view May-October 2017