Rodin at the WAG

original photos © Erik Henne

Today I saw the exhibition, Rodin: A Magnificent Obsession at the Winnipeg Art Gallery. Before I headed out, I stopped by an ATM for some cash. You see, these manner of exhibits aren’t the regular George Kostanza “I pay what I say” gallery fee. Admission to the exhibit and full gallery was $11 and well worth it. It’s very likely that I’ll even go back before the old French codger’s many bronzes are packed up and taken off in January.

All lowbrow contemporary-isms aside, Rodin was an amazing sculptor. In both his frenzied “sketch” and careful forms, you are treated to a meld of Impressionism, neoclassicism and modernism. The large-scale sculptures were something to behold in gallery light. I drained my mind of verbal thought and let my eye do the work, aside from the odd glance at the title. Perhaps I looked a little pretentious with my deliberate 360 and sometimes, crouching scrutiny. If you have any formal art training, you can’t help but do this. It doesn’t have to be an extensive intellectualization. One could just circle around and look at form in 3D space, and see what intended senses may surface. All in all there was enough there to keep me at this for an hour before closing. If you’re in to sculpture and are in Winnipeg before the year’s end, check it out.