Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • Page 61

Sunday, July 7. 1996 The ArUom Republic FS pUnstill life: Obsessions seen in pauiter work Art world talcing multimedia look at Cezanne's work fab VSIU IK, page Fl Vther than Cezanne's relations with his stern, imposing father to find roots of his obsessions, but they i played out not only in the artist's pointings but also in his relations vith others. Uio cnn DomI nA that Mrhnn Ua I. r'' 16 iiu avii, ihui, iuiu uiui niivu iiv was a small boy he and his father were crossing a street and the boy 4 Rodo Ptssam Collection Cezanne, shown in a photograph taken in his 30s, headed out nearly every day to paint the French countryside. unreached for his fathers hand.

The Jpainter pushed the boy away from Jptiim, saying, "I hate people grab-Iping at me." He would blow up if a. servant Accidentally brushed him when 3ierving dinner. He lived a large of his life separate from his jjvife, and he only married her late Kpri life after they had lived secretly together for years, fearing that his father would learn of the relational ship. And now, placed in the context of the rest of his life, even the late still lifes and landscapes take on new meaning. We have been trained by four i generations of art critics and historians to see Cezanne's monu- mental apples as pure form.

The st'H lifes, with their multiple t0 perspectives, low chroma colors i and fussy brushstrokes, are still one lu pf the great sources of Modernism, They function at the ambiguous midpoint between earlier art, where y(lthe painting served philosophically 1(Jias a "window" through which to see the scene that is painted, and modern art, where the focus is on window surface and not what is seen through it. Modernism has 1L For those just getting into the artist's work. Interpreting Cezanne, by Paul Smith (Stewart, Tabori Chang, is a great introduction, mixing just enough biography with interpretations both historical and contemporary. One of the best new entries is a CD-ROM from Corbis called Paul Cezanne: Portrait of My World The same disk works for Windows or Macintosh. It includes 140 of Cezanne's paintings bedded in a matrix of background material, all accessible from various routes.

It is a ton of fun and will keep you occupied like a video game. The quality of the reproductions is first-rate for video reproduction. They literally glow. A second Corbis CD-ROM is not about Cezanne specifically, but he is such an important player that you might want to check it out, too. It is A Passion for Art: Renoir, Cezanne, Matisse and Dr.

Barnes a CD of the famous Barnes Collection near Philadelphia. It offers likewise-fine reproductions and a plethora of information about the Barnes Foundation, its idiosyncratic founder and his views of the art he collected. It is available in versions either for Mac or Windows. Online fans can also access the Cezanne show Web site at http:www.pcezanne.com for more cyberwandering. There is a Cezanne quiz, a Cezanne screen saver you can download and a few activities aimed at kids.

And those with a lot of money to spend or an obsession with the artist will be able later this year to buy a two-volume catalogue rai-sonne called The Paintings of Paul Cezanne (Abrams, $350), put together by the late Cezanne scholar John Rewald and his assistants. Richard Nilsen This is a big year for Paul Cezanne. I lis giant retrospective continues at the Philadelphia Museum of Art through Sept. 1, playing to King-Tut-size crowds. Channel 8 (KAET) will present Cezanne at 10 p.m.

Wednesday. The film includes commentary from artists, Cezanne scholars and his granddaughter and great-grand-' son. It gives an excellent overview to the artist's life and work and the relationship between them. Among the books now out, the main one is Cezanne (Harry N. Abrams, $75 hardcover, $45 paper-bound), which serves as catalog for the Philadelphia show.

This sumptuously printed book discusses the individual pieces in the show rather than giving an overview of the artist's career, but it is remarkably thorough, readable and includes some of the best-reproduced images of the paintings now in print. Especially delightful are the many lesser-known watercolors. Pavel Machotka takes a different tack in his Cezanne: Landscape Into Art (Yale University Press, $45). Machotka has managed to track down the sites of many of Cezanne's landscapes and juxtaposes photographs of the scenes with the paintings Cezanne made from them. What emerges is two surprises.

First, that Cezanne was surprisingly literal when transcribing landscape: Each bump on a rock is faithfully represented, each building, each tree is accurately portrayed. Most of us would have thought Cezanne would have been freer in his adaptation of nature. He was not. But that being said, what also emerges is how transformed the nature becomes: Cezanne makes ordinary daylight reality into something transcendent and revealing. Boston Museum of Pine Arts Paul Cezanne painted Madame Cezanne in a Red Armchair in 1877, nine years before Hortense Fiquet became his wife.

0 Inv, -prrtinjj I Ci-iANNE'; the painting. Still Life With Plaster Cupid, for instance, used to be talked about in rather sanitized words as a formal composition. But it must be recognized that Cezanne chose to paint a cupid and not only that but a disfigured cupid with no arms a passionless, white, cold cupid. And he is surrounded by the apples and onions familiar from other still lifes modeling," Cezanne said. But he was sublimating like a bunny when he said so.

All of this should not be understood to demean or trivialize Cezanne but to flesh out the truth of someone who had become a plaster saint. Cezanne's output is still one of the most amazing in art history. There is nothing else in art quite where the onions can be said to so disturbingly moving as his pears, iC had a patronizing fear of narrative. Cezanne never leaves the subject matter completely behind, but he does force us to talk about pigment, composition, brushwork and only tangential ly mention the ap- serve as a sour comment on the so seriously unswerving as his look i r. i.

i. sweet sensuousness of the apples, at his wife's face in the portraits he made of her, so formally compel Interpreting Cezanne by Paul Smith is a good introduction to the life and work of the painter. taken as mere gibberish. But such a view of Cezanne is distorted by the. Modernism that came after him.

For the apples are not neutral; they are the apple of Eve, the apple of sexuality. Such an observation is not new, but what is new is the importance of the recognition in understanding pies and pears, It used to be said that Cezanne More than one commentator has mentioned how his beloved Mont Sainte-Victoire became more and more breastlike in the many paintings he made of it "Contrasts and tonal relations, these are the secrets of drawing and ling as his treescapes they are absolute as Bach fugues. But to see Cezanne only as a seed of modern art is to misunderstand the magnitude of his accomplishment. chose fruit only because it would sit still for him, that the subject matter was neutral: What was important was the painting. He could have chosen any subject, the conventional wisdom runs.

Ji nriMnfzfnn'ninnfzfi As such, he is not only spiritual father to Picasso, who acknowledged the paternity in a famous quote, but even to Jackson Pollock. When Pollock was once asked, "What is it?" by a skeptic looking for subject matter in his work, Pollock answered: "A painting." It is Cezanne who made it possible that the answer not be uuujlluVj UDuluvj 1 Theater adds updated sound I to historic mix i THEATER ADDS, from page Fl mm though the aisles and remember coming here when they were in high school," said Orpheum man- ager Mara Joyner. "At one point only high school seniors (and people older than high Eschool age) were allowed up in the It was a big privilege to rJJ get to sit up mere The balcony has been closed for few years, Joyner said, since one JIttioviegoer stumbled in the dark 8pm. Free. Call 252-5530.

The Arizona Science Center is hosting a Summer Science Camp for 4-12 year olds. Call 258-7250 for details. See art Downtown ASU Downtown Center Galleria will feature two-dimensional works created by staff of the ASU College of Extended Education (965-3046), William Barnhart Gallery displays contemporary works (254-2669), and The Downtown Gallery will feature art and illustrations by native Phoenician Frank Ybarra (258-3069). The Phoenix Police Museum is open throughout the week from 9am-3pm and features law enforcement memorabilia. Call 534-PAST.

The Phoenix Downtown YMCA can "take the load off when you send your kids off to Summer Day Camp through August 30. Call 257-5138. HEADY STUFF "Farm Facts" kicks off a month of great fun at the Arizona Science Center. July 10 learn about food and find out about farming with special demonstrations courtesy of Duncan's Sunfresh Farms. 10am-2pm.

On July 17, "Get Batty!" and learn about bat not the baseball kind, the flying kind! 1 0am-2pm. On July 24, it's "Chemical Concoctions" exploring the elements of chemistry. Make your own slimy substances. 1 0am-2pm. "Getting Into Garbage" on July 31 will include Cycler, the recycling robot, and feature the treasures of trash.

Waste Management Inc. evening of song and dance featuring local talents JoAnn Yeoman, Joe Bousard and Shana Bousard. 8pm. Tickets for either show at $1 3.25. August 1-3, Actors Theatre of Phoenix presents readings of new plays in "New Play Cabaret." Stage West at the Herberger.

7pm. Call 252-8497 for tickets to any Herberger event. BASKETBALL'S BACK, RATTLERS KICKIN' IT Dribbling is back in vogue at America West Arena on July 1 0. Catch the action of USA Basketball VS. China.

-8pm. Call 379-7800 for tickets. Before the game, party! The Rattlers wilf rock the Coyotes, but first head on over1 to the Grand Staircase at Arizona Center, compliments of O'Douls. Free. Call 949-4353.

Then walk a couple of blocks to the Arena for indoor football action kicking off at 7pm. Tickets Call 379-7878. PERUSING FOR PLEASURE The new Phoenix Museum of History is open throughout the summer for a cool, casual stroll through the city's past. The museum is nestled in the quaint Heritage Science Park, home to the historic Rosson House and soon to open Arizona Science Center. Mon-Sat 10am-5pm; Sun noon-5pm.

Adults seniors children 12 and under 6 and under free. Call 253-2734. Old Adobe Theatre features local magicians every Friday night in July. THE BEAT GOES Hey, hey mama, like the way you Oops, wrong song! But Pat Grover and the "Last of the Red Hot Mamas" will most certainly move you on July 9 10. It's part of the Xerox Summer Scene at the Herberger Theater Center, a full summertime series of plays and musical performances.

This cabaret performance of Jazz and Blues will delight all guests. 8pm. Tickets $13.25. On July 23 24, It's About Time! stars Jennie Lee in an evening of song from Broadway hits to lyrical ballads. 8pm.

Tickets $13.25. The MLK Classical Cabaret will take the Herberger stage on July 30 31 featuring the MLK Fine Arts Program Scholarship students in concert. 8pm. Tickets $13.25. Call 252-8497 for any Herberger event.

After a five year absence from the road, Gloria Estefan is back in concert and coming to the Valley July 30. Catch her "1 996 Evolution Tour" at America West Arena at Advanced tickets range from Call 678-2222 or 379-7800. THEATRE NON-STOP In addition to the musical theater, the Xerox Summer Scene at the Herberger Theater Center has a few traditional shows for all tastes. Through July 21, check out Here, In America. Robert Post stars in this one-man-show with an exuberant, athletic and multi-faceted performance.

Wed-Sat 8pm; Sun 2pm. July 1 6 1 7 is Triple Play, an will showcase new ways its cleaning up the town! 10am-2pm. Admission to all special sessions is included in regular admission price. Call 258-7250. THANKS ADOT! It will now be even easier to get into and out of Downtown Phoenix, particularly; for evening events.

HOV lanes will require 2 passengers only during peak rush hours of 6am-9am and 3pm-7pm' weekdays. Look for the new signs advising you of the changes by August. JULY TO DO'S Interested in your heart? Head to the free Exercise and Preventing Heart Disease lunchtime lecture on July Phoenix Memorial Hospital Health Resources and the ASU Downtown Center present this no-sweat, "house call" with Dr. Jason DeVilla, Exercise Physiologist and Director of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Department. Purchase a lunch on site or bring your own.

Reservations required at 965-3046. DOWNTOWN TIPS The Downtown Phoenix Partnership can help make your visits to the heart of the city easy, safe and fun. Pick up a free bi-monthly Events Calender in a sidewalk kiosk, Downtown business or from our Security Guides. Or call us at 254-8696 and get on the mailing list. We also have special parking maps and green parking banners on the street poles to help you park.

Downtown Phoenix is THE place to be! Jt and hurt her ankle. But the closed balcony hasn't hurt attendance. These days movie goers are more attracted to theaters JjyX'ith up-to-date sound systems than ones with balconies, Joyner said mm- "Our sound for Jurassic Park wasn't the best, and people who here to see that film are still sLasking me, 'Did you improve the sound she said. Or As of a few weeks ago, Joyner Could say yes. Six-channel digital surround-sound was installed at the Orpheum on June 21 Mr I it IkMw'i 31 ii.l a' fl a ro i 1 i i i JOIN US (OH A MYSTERY COMEDY SOiVTD OVEIt A DtUCKHIS DINNER.

tt The Dig Kill' Only 3 Shows Left: July 19, 27 Aug. 17 Mesa Scottsdale 9 NOW BOOKING HOLIDAY PARTI ESI MURDER INK Box Office: 844-8520 PRODUCTIONS eta i 'i jm wmm mm coupon mm mm mmm Special TVTV "1 XU1 lUVllUJli kJ I America West Arena 2. Arizona Center 3. Arizona Science Center 4. Bank of America Tower 5.

Bank One Center 6. City Bus Terminal 7. City Council Chambers 8. Cfowne Plaza Hotel 9. Federal Building 1 0.

First Interstate Bank I I Phoenix Museum of HistoryGarage 12. Future Home of AZ Diamondbacks 1 3. Future Home of AZ Science Center 14. Phoenix Newspapers Inc. 15.

Greyhound Bus Terminal 16. Goode Municipal Building 1 7. Herberger Theater Center 18. Heritage Square 19. Historic County Courthouse 20.

Hyatt Regency Phoenix 21. Luhrs Tower Complex 22. The Mercado 23. Norwest Bank 24. Orpheum Theatre 25.

Patriots Square Park 26. Phoenix City Hall 27. Phoenix Civic Plaza 28. Phoenix Downtown YMCA 29. Phoenix Union Municipal Building 30.

Professional Building 31. Ramada Hotel 32. Renaissance Square 33. RepublicGazette Building 34. San Carlos Hotel 35.

St. Mary's Basilica 36. Superior Court Complex 37. Symphony Hall 38. Title Building 39.

US. Post Office 40. US WesVAT Buildjng 41. Union Hall IT 1 n-LSJ 7m IUJ i ft wppstntn 1 3 Hp 9 HNS WU Ip Lp L3 feJ Fnx I fcMM mfMMFmMx Inn TTpni PPi nLj ILJ ULJ LJi fl lj iMP4 il I PARKING OPEN Sat 5:00 pm Sun. Noon vn if.iVYir.v.' Good Thru 7Mi9q SUN thru THURS 1 I 4130 North 19th Avenue 4130 North 19th Avenue Rloclr abova Indian SchooTl Reservations 273-7225.