Resorts at Sea - October

After getting all I can (for now) on the ships in this study, I’m turning my attention to the artists. Not that I haven’t, but now it’s more focused, rather than coming across things by chance. (Hmmm … I’m sensing a little déjà vu, but this time I really mean it … Really.)

Rothko catalog cover.

One place I like to go is abebooks.com, which is perhaps the most wonderful site for used and out of print books ever. Over the years, I’ve found many pieces for my library. In looking for titles I know of, often I discover a title I had no idea even existed. And it’s also more than books. Rare magazines and other paper items are listed, too. (No, I’m not getting paid for this endorsement … Damn it.)

My line of attack right now is to find exhibition catalogs for these artists within the time frame they worked on these ships. For instance, Gwen Lux is known for her First Class Dining Room sculpture Expressions of Freedom for the United States in 1952. So, I would look for exhibit catalogs within a couple years either way of that date. Another route to take would be retrospectives, where the body of work is put into context. Both are ways I can learn more about their style at that particular time period. 

No. 18 1952

To better illustrate, several years ago, I noticed a poster of a Mark Rothko work in one of my favorite places to eat. If you’re a fan of Mad Men, you know Bert Cooper has a Rothko in his office. Curious, I went to Abebooks, and found a catalog from 1961, in which there’s a bio and an essay from the curator. Some of the paintings are in color, the rest in black and white, and in this case it is a detriment, as Rothko’s pieces don’t lend themselves well to that format.

The trick will be drawing distinctions between artistic works and the works for these ships, which I would consider works for hire, as they may definitely lean towards being more commercial in nature.