MoMA Exhibits James Ensor

James Ensor (Belgian, 1860–1949) was a major figure in the Belgian avant-garde of the late nineteenth century and an important precursor to the development of Expressionism in the early twentieth. In both respects, he has influenced generations of later artists.

His drawings, paintings, prints will be on view at The Museum of Modern Art, New York from June 28 to September 21, 2009.

This exhibition of approximately 95 of Ensor’s paintings, drawings, and prints will produce a complete picture of his daring, experiential body of work. Key issues that will be elucidated are the artist’s contribution to modernity, his innovative and allegorical use of light, his prominent use of satire, his deep interest in carnival and performance, and his own self-fashioning and use of masking, travesty, and role-playing.

Ultimately, this exhibition presents Ensor as a socially engaged and self-critical artist involved with the issues of his times and with contemporary debates on the nature of modernism.

The exhibition is organized by Anna Swinbourne, Assistant Curator, Department of Painting and Sculpture, The Museum of Modern Art, and is accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue. The exhibition will travel to the Musee d’Orsay, Paris, from October 2009 to February 2010. -- www.moma.org

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