Pop Art at the Martin Lawrence Gallery
Martin Lawrence Gallery
77 Newbury St
Boston, MA 02116

Newbury Street’s Martin Lawrence Gallery is currently hosting a Pop Art show consisting mainly of Andy Warhol with a few Haring’s thrown in for good measure. Sound familiar? If it does, you must have read my entry on DTR Modern Gallery. The concepts of the two shows are virtually the same- the execution, however, is completely different. Looking to capitalize on the amazing boom in post WWII sales (a recent auction at Christie’s brought in over 140 million dollars with just under 100 pieces up for auction), MLG places two large Warhol’s in the window in a rotating display which they hope will lure people into the gallery.

One of the drawbacks of the MLG is that it simply does not look like a contemporary art gallery. The brownstone in which it makes its own is ornate with lovely architectural details and blends beautifully into the Back Bay neighborhood. However, this space would not seemingly mesh well with a collection of modern masters’ works - many of whose minimalist leanings seem out of place in such an architecturally rich surrounding. DTR, on the other hand, has their gallery window lit in fun lighting and a funky Pop picture, and when inside the space screams, “Look, hang some Pop Art here!” DTR takes a more museum like approach in their hanging, and it keeps the art well lit on white walls – enhancing the bold, in-your-face styling of the artwork.

While not hung as cleanly as DTR, the MLG show does give a far more accurate representation of how one of these Warhol’s or Lalonde’s may hang in your home, but only because the walls are covered in artwork and actually look like the wall you might find in your own house. When you enter MLG, you are able to see how a “modern” piece of artwork can be phenomenal in your home. At DTR, you may love the work in the gallery, but have a hard time visualizing what that Haring would look like in the same room as the French landscape painting. (Thank God for home shows!) I am sorry, but I can’t help but keep comparing and contrasting the two galleries. Maybe that’s just what MLG gets for choosing the same time as DTR to showcase Warhol and Haring.

When you walk into the space at DTR, you automatically think Warhol and Haring. When you walk into MLG, there is, for the casual art connoisseur, a small lapse before you say, “Wow, that’s a Warhol!” It is this very small, almost inexplicable difference between the two shows that makes the DTR show that much better. I had mentioned in previous posts that I wouldn’t pass judgement on art that is already established as “great” in order to avoid lengthy art historical discussions. But, I will say that on a personal level, I find the Haring and Warhol pieces at DTR more compelling and engaging.

To sum up MLG: the show is good. Go see it, but also go see the show at DTR. MLG’s staff was courteous, very helpful and extremely unpretentious. My time, while too short, was enjoyable in the gallery, and, as always, I will stop back in regularly to feed my need to constantly take in and process post WWII artwork. Their collection is strong and the gallery as a whole works well in the space.

All in all, I am looking forward to the Kerry Hallam reception on June 10th at MLG. His artwork has been a staple of MLG since its inception (in Boston at least), and I can see why. His fun nautical pieces feed my New England blood – I almost want to pop my collar and tie a sweater around my neck!