The Cape Ann Museum presents an exhibition,in painting and in words, created by Gordon Goetemann and inspired by the conductor and composer Gustav Mahler (1860-1911). A Narrative of Life and Glory is Goetemann’s exploration, indeed his celebration, of Mahler’s 2nd Symphony, one of the most monumental musical scores of the 20th century, and the man who created it. In Gustav Mahler, Goetemann has found both a kindred spirit and a muse, whose musical masterpiece is the basis for these paintings.
Gordon Goetemann, Silence, 2008-2009, from A Narrative of Live and Glory: Mahler’s 2nd Symphony
Goetemann was first introduced to Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 Resurrection fifty years ago during graduate school at the University of Iowa. Through a growing understanding of Mahler’s ideas and personal philosophy which parallel the philosophical tenets of existentialism, Goetemann discovered a foundation for his values and aesthetic as he began his professional life as an artist. He was convinced that great art should have something relevant to say beyond its subject matter, that it should exhibit both formal and moral integrity and that it should admit a sense of presence that is clear and unified.
Gustav Mahler’s 2nd Symphony addresses themes which Goetemann believes are relevant in today’s culture: the quest to find freedom in the face of adversity; courage in the face of dislocation; and eternal life in the face of human decay. Goetemann chose Mahler’s 2nd Symphony as the fountainhead upon which to start a new journey. For five and a half years he has worked on fifteen paintings which express his visual interpretation of the symphony.
Gordon Goetemann considers himself an artist who fits into the tradition of American romantic-realism. His subject matter has been nearly exclusively landscape made not only for its beauty but also as a metaphor for the spiritual dimensions of life. In recent years these dimensions have moved his work further into abstraction.
Goetemann first came to Gloucester in the summer of 1954 to study with Umberto Romano. The experience set the course for his painting career. He received his M.F.A. from the State University of Iowa in Iowa City, and has taught at universities and colleges in Indiana, Minnesota, Illinois, and Canada. He retired from teaching in 1998 and moved permanently to Gloucester. Goetemann’s work can be found in the collections of the Cape Ann Museum and the Aldrich Museum of American Art, as well as many private and corporate collections. He and his wife Judith Steele Goetemann, also an artist, maintain a studio on Rocky Neck.
A Narrative of Life and Glory is on view November 14, 2009 through January 31, 2010.
Opening reception: Saturday, November 14, 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Cape Ann Museum 27 Pleasant Street, Gloucester, MA 01930
Telephone: (978) 283-0455
www.capeannmuseum.org
