The National Art Center, Tokyo,
Closes Dec. 12
Viewing "To See as Artists See: American Art From The Phillips Collection" is akin to witnessing a time-elapse depiction of shifting tectonic plates. Changes to the landscape are clearly visible in some areas, barely perceptible in others. The journey across this artistic terrain, ranging from quiet pastorals to noisy urban scenes to full-blown abstraction, is a long one, but worth the effort.
The selection of works from The Phillips Collection provides not only a great history lesson on early modern art and the United States itself, but also pays tribute to the life's work of a great patron of the arts, Duncan Phillips (1986-1966). More than a wealthy investor looking to flip a work, Phillips was a passionate collector and critic, and his prescient acquisitions did much to foster the burgeoning scene of American modern art.