Mind-bending Escher exhibit at BYU MOA explores iconic printmaker's life and work

Описание: The BYU Museum of Art features "M.C. Escher: Other Worlds," a free exhibit that runs Nov. 17, 2017, to May 19, 2018. Tickets are not required. For more information, see moa.byu.edu

Please check hours for the BYU Museum of Art in advance: http://moa.byu.edu/hours/ The BYU Museum of Art is located on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.

In this video, BYU exhibit curator Kenneth Hartvigsen discusses Escher as an artist and designer (he never considered himself an artist), as a mathematician (he was not good at math), and as a man who tried to find meaning in the world. The free exhibit features more than 100 Escher prints including some of his best-known works popularized by everything from math textbooks to album covers.

M.C. Escher, Drawing Hands. ©2017 The M.C. Escher Company, The Netherlands. All rights reserved. www.mcescher.com

Press release from the BYU Museum of Art:
Many people are familiar with the work of Dutch artist M.C. Escher—they just might not know it. Escher, famous for his works depicting impossible staircases, waterfalls defying gravity, and hands drawing themselves, is the sole artist featured in the new exhibition at the BYU Museum of Art, M.C. Escher: Other Worlds.

Born in the Netherlands in 1898, M.C. Escher was renowned in the worlds of graphic arts and mathematics, despite his refusal to acknowledge his mathematical prowess. He traveled extensively, drawing inspiration from his travels. In 1935, Escher left his adopted homeland of Italy due to the escalation of Italian Fascism and the growing political instability throughout Europe. He left behind not only the country he so loved but his practice of creating prints from real-life observations. Thereafter, his works revealed the fantastic and enigmatic scenarios for which he is best known. But, there is more to the story. Dr. Kenneth Hartvigsen, curator of Other Worlds at the MOA, said, “Music was one of M.C. Escher’s greatest passions. He played cello and piano and performed with a string trio in his youth but never considered himself an accomplished musician. The music Escher loved testifies of his search for order and beauty in the universe, which in turn inspires a reexamination of his artistic output as one rooted not in intellectual gaming, but in personal aesthetic experience and a desire to express creativity, balance, and beauty.”Hartvigsen has worked extensively with the School of Music to bring this relatively unknown aspect of Escher’s life to the exhibition. Other Worlds will feature music from a Bösendorfer piano equipped with Disklavier technology, provided by Baldassin Pianos of Draper, Utah. This remarkable piano is technologically capable of playing intricately nuanced compositions without a performer. In the gallery, the Disklavier will play pieces related to specific artworks within the gallery—musical compositions from which Escher drew inspiration.

Lynda Palma, Educator at the MOA said, “Visitors to the exhibition will discover an artistic realm of wonder, impossible constructions, and infinite tessellations conceived in the mind—and the heart—of one of the world’s most famous graphic artists. Escher’s reach is universal, drawing on such diverse disciplines as mathematics, music, and crystallography, and appealing to scientists, fantasy buffs, pop culture, and visitors of all ages.

”M.C. Escher: Other Worlds will be open at the BYU Museum of Art November 17, 2017 – May 19, 2018. The exhibition is free and does not require tickets. More information about the exhibition and related programming can be found online at http://moa.byu.edu/other-worlds-the-a...

ABOUT THE BYU MUSEUM OF ART One of the largest and best-attended university art museums in the Mountain West, the BYU Museum of Art offers a dynamic exhibition schedule that includes displays of its permanent collection, world-class traveling shows and thought-provoking exhibitions organized by museum curators. One of the museum’s most important roles is its contribution to the academic mission of Brigham Young University. From the research and study of the artworks in the permanent collection, to the teaching and learning that occurs in classrooms and galleries, the museum plays an important role in the academic pursuits of many students at BYU. Concurrently, the museum seeks to connect to broad community audiences through its exhibitions and educational programming.