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da Vinci makes way for M.C. Escher exhibit, plus new Dalí Revealed exhibition
ST. PETERSBURG, FL (June 4, 2015) – The Dalí Museum will electrify audiences again, presenting another celebrated artist this summer as they open Escher at the Dalí on August 22, 2015. The show will highlight M.C. Escher, a renowned artist, whose visual illusions puzzle and delight audiences worldwide, and is best known for his “impossible constructions” and use of tessellation. Coming on the heels of exhibitions from famed artists including Picasso, Warhol and da Vinci, Escher at the Dalí adds yet another inspiring perspective for visitors, and will run through Jan 3, 2016, just prior to the Museum’s grand opening of Disney & Dali: Architects of the Imagination.
On loan from the Herakleidon Museum in Athens, Greece, this robust exhibition will feature 135 works covering Escher’s entire artistic career. The show includes an array of the artist’s most famous works such as “Drawing Hands,” “Reptiles” and “Waterfall” alongside rarely exhibited early drawings of family members, panoramas of exotic landscapes and historic architecture of Italy and Spain, original preparatory sketches, mezzotints and more.
“Escher, like Dali, played in a serious way with that fundamental question of visual art – What is real? Is the world as it looks to be, or have I constructed an illusion in my mind? Escher delights every viewer with his visual sleights of hand,” said Hank Hine, Dalí Museum Executive Director.
Escher at the Dali will feature prints, drawings, a sculpture, wood blocks, a lithograph stone and posters drawn by the artist to explain his printing techniques. The exhibit will delve into his exploration of infinity through tessellation, in which shapes fit together perfectly without overlapping, including an enormous woodcut “Metamorphosis” (1939-40) which spans 13-1/2 feet. “Escher’s work is captivating on many levels,” said Curator of the Collection, Joan Kropf. “His images are realistic but challenging, accessible but elusive, entertaining but serious. This Escher collection has only been shown at a handful of locations in the U.S. and never in Florida – this will be a rare treat for our visitors.”
Through July 26th, visitors still have the chance to view the Museum’s current exhibition Dalí and da Vinci: Minds, Machines and Masterpieces. The exhibit features reproductions of da Vinci books and paintings; original and reproduced Dalí manuscripts, prints, paintings and sculpture; and the reimagined invented objects both da Vinci and Dalí proposed in advance of their times. This engaging show allows visitors of all ages to explore the fantastical inventions and creations of these two great minds. A free audio tour was recently added, providing an in-depth explanation for viewers.
Yet another new exhibit just debuted in the Museum’s Wittner Gallery, titled Dalí Revealed. This special exhibition includes 48 archival photographs taken by French photographer Robert Descharnes, a close associate of Dali’s from 1950 through the end of his life in 1989. Curated by Dalí Museum Assistant Curator, Dirk Armstrong, the show features candid images of the artist in his studio and at various locales in and around Spain.
Special exhibitions, including “Escher at The Dalí” and “Dalí & da Vinci,” are included in the price of Museum admission; private, docent-led tours are available for a fee and upon advanced reservation. For advance-purchase tickets visit TheDali.org/tickets. To book a private tour, call (727) 628-4778.
About The Dalí Museum
The Dalí Museum, located in the heart of beautiful downtown St. Petersburg, Florida, is home to an unparalleled collection of Salvador Dalí art, featuring more than 2,000 works comprising nearly 100 oil paintings; over 100 watercolors and drawings; and 1,300 prints, photographs, sculptures and objets d’art.
The building is itself a work of art, featuring 1,062 triangular-shaped glass panels – the only structure of its kind in North America. Nicknamed The Enigma, it provides an unprecedented view of St. Petersburg’s picturesque waterfront. The Museum has attracted the world’s attention, and among the other distinguished awards it has received, it was listed by AOL Travel News as “one of the top buildings to see in your lifetime.”
The Dalí Museum is located at One Dalí Boulevard, St. Petersburg, Florida 33701. For additional information contact 727-823-3767.
Escher Images
Permission to reproduce these images is granted solely for use in conjunction with media reportage and review of ‘Escher at The Dalí.’ All reproductions must be accompanied by the captions noted below. Permission to reproduce these images is contingent upon the press’s acknowledgement and acceptance of these terms. Hi-res images available upon request.
M.C.Escher’s “Drawing Hands” ©2015 The M.C. Escher Company–The Netherlands. All rights reserved. www.mcescher.com. From the collection of Herakleidon Museum, Athens, Greece, www.herakleidon-art.gr.
M.C.Escher’s “Waterfall” ©2015 The M.C. Escher Company–The Netherlands. All rights reserved. www.mcescher.com. From the collection of Herakleidon Museum, Athens, Greece, www.herakleidon-art.gr.
M.C.Escher’s “Regular Division of the Plane VI” ©2015 The M.C. Escher Company–The Netherlands. All rights reserved. www.mcescher.com. From the collection of Herakleidon Museum, Athens, Greece, www.herakleidon-art.gr.
M.C.Escher’s “Bond of Union” ©2015 The M.C. Escher Company–The Netherlands. All rights reserved. www.mcescher.com. From the collection of Herakleidon Museum, Athens, Greece, www.herakleidon-art.gr.
M.C.Escher’s “Reptiles” ©2015 The M.C. Escher Company–The Netherlands. All rights reserved. www.mcescher.com. From the collection of Herakleidon Museum, Athens, Greece, www.herakleidon-art.gr.