joseph cornell

Cornell is a particular favorite of mine and i have had a slight obsession with him for years. i've gone out of my way to view his work in a number of museums throughout the states and abroad. there is a special quality to his work; every piece is carefully hand crafted using found objects specific to each theme. his constructed shadow boxes and collages are playful yet haunting. the corners of the imagination are brought forward and displayed in perfectly crafted vignettes. i am mesmerized time and again by the details in his work. 

with the current popularity of d.i.y projects and 'found art' collages, everyone should find inspiration in J.C.'s work. you can only imagine how stoked i was to find that the SFMoma was exhibiting his most comprehensive collection in 25 years, dating from the 1930s to his death in 1972.

on the last day of the exhibit, i waded through the crowds to view his brilliance, which was totally worth it. i only wished i had learned of the exhibit sooner so I could have spent more hours drooling.  however, for those late to the party like myself or for those interested in learning more about Joseph Cornell, there is a very cool website we can all visit. Established by the Peabody Essex Museum, the site cleverly allows you to surf through the exhibit online, entitled - Joseph Cornell: Navigating the Imagination. Click here for the link... It's a fantastic glimpse of the real thing and I highly recommend checking it out.....and oh yes, i did use the word "stoked" to describe my feelings!