Dec 3: New Image

There's lots happening in the South Florida art world just now. One important event is right in my own backyard. Several minutes from my home, the Museum of Art | in Fort Lauderdale is hosting a well-reviewed retrospective of Norman Rockwell's work. I haven't seen this quite yet, but I hope to check it out soon. Called "American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell," the exhibit includes some of the artist's best-known paintings. The museum even has all 323 cover illustrations that Rockwell created for the Saturday Evening Post. What interests me more than anything else about this showing, though, is that it comes at a time when Rockwell's reputation is undergoing a reassessment. Gee, maybe these aren't such silly, whitebread paintings after all.

As a writer, I'm sympathetic to anyone who tackles the hard work of trying to make something that aspires to real art. But I confess I've been among those who snickered and shrugged at Rockwell in the past. From what I've read about this show, I can tell already that I'm likely to change my tune. I already have, really.

I've seen photos of some paintings in the Fort Lauderdale show. Some of these reveal very powerful works with a distinct social message. I had no idea Rockwell was an early member of the NAACP. He was. And I had no idea he'd created pieces such as "The Problem We All Live With," a 1963 illustration for Look magazine. It shows an adorable African-American child in a white dress and sneakers, carrying books and other school supplies. In front of and behind her, four men walk stiffly, their heads invisible. On his arm each man wears a yellow band that says, "Deputy U.S. Marshal." Compelling, honest stuff. Another Rockwell magazine illustration focuses on the 1964 murder of civil rights activists in Mississippi. I can see why the art world finally is coming around to the view that this was a serious artist. I'm coming to that realization with them. This show runs until February 7 and is expected to draw thousands of visitors to the Museum of Art. Those who go, of course, also will find some of Rockwell's better-known paintings of Americana. Of these, he famously said that he painted "life as I would like it to be." But clearly Norman Rockwell also could see life as it really was in his own time. For that, and for his sincere efforts as an artist, he certainly has my respect.