Frida Kahlo, Thinking About Death, 1943, oil on canvas, 17.5
Frida Kahlo’s compelling surrealist self-portraits that are filled with personal iconography have a broad relevance. Her work was championed by early feminists who adopted the slogan “the personal is political,” meaning that one woman’s experience is representative of the experiences … Continue reading
Grace Hartigan, Grand Street Brides, 1954, oil on canvas, 73” x 102”, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York.
Grace Hartigan exhibited under the name George Hartigan, following in the footsteps of female writers George Eliot and George Sand, so that she would be taken seriously as an artist. She was from the second generation of Abstract Expressionist artists, … Continue reading
Agnes Martin, Aspiration, 1960, ink on paper, 11 ¾” x 9 ⅜”, Photo by J R via Flickr, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License.
Tomorrow a major retrospective of artwork by Agnes Martin (1912-2004) will open in the famous rotunda at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York. It is a brilliant space to enjoy the subtle variations in her minimalist and expressive … Continue reading
Elizabeth Murray, Children Meeting, 1978, Oil on canvas, 101 3/16 × 127 in., Whitney Museum of Art, NY, Photo by rocor via Flickr, Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial 2.0 Generic License.
Today is National Lazy Mom’s Day, so in honor of moms I’d like to share with you a painting that presents the unique perception of a mother. This painting by American artist Elizabeth Murray (1940-2007) presents the joyous play of … Continue reading
Umberto Boccioni, Unique Forms of Continuity in Space, 1913, bronze, 3' 8
Futurism is an artistic movement that originated in Italy in 1909 to become the “caffeine of Europe.” Futurism was inspired by Analytic Cubism, but with a focus on technology and “progress.” In the Futurist Manifesto, written by Filippo Tommaso Marinetti and published in … Continue reading
Marisol, Self-Portrait Looking at the Last Supper, 1982-4, Wood, plywood, stone, plaster, aluminum, dye, charcoal, 121 ½” x 358” x 61”, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Photo via the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
One of the most unique modern artists, Maria Sol Escobar, otherwise simply known as Marisol, died on April 30, 2016 at the age of 85. The French-born, Venezuelan artist first caused a sensation in the New York art world in … Continue reading
Marcel Duchamp, L. H. O. O. Q., 1919, pen on a postcard, 19.7 x 12.4 cm, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, artwork in the Public Domain.
Dada is an art movement that originated in the early 20th century in response to World War I, after which the artists and writers in this group felt society was morally bankrupt. The word, “Dada,” was picked randomly from a … Continue reading
Alma Thomas, Red Azaleas Singing and Dancing Rock and Roll Music, 1976, acrylic on canvas, 73¾” × 158½” × 2½”, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C., Photo by Cliff via Flickr, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License.
“Do the trees near your house play music? Do the flowers in your neighborhood sing and dance?” asked African-American artist Alma Thomas (1891-1978). She perceived a vibrancy and vitality in her garden and she captured the inspiring performances on her … Continue reading
Archibald J. Motley Jr., ‘Blues,’ 1929, oil on canvas, 36 × 42 inches, Collection of Mara Motley M.D., and Valerie Gerrard Browne, Image courtesy of the Chicago History Museum, Chicago, Illinois. © Valerie Gerrard Browne.
A retrospective exhibition of the work of Archibald J. Motley, Jr. now is on view at the Whitney Museum of American Art. Motley was one of the first black artists to attend the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where … Continue reading
Eva Hesse, Repetition Nineteen III, 1968, fiberglass and polyester resin, nineteen units, Each 19 to 20 1/4
Eva Hesse, the German-born American artist, had only a ten-year career before her death of a brain tumor at age 34 in 1970, but she made an indelible mark in the art world as a Postminimalist. The artist cut her … Continue reading
Alphonse Mucha, Advertising Poster for Job Cigarettes, 1896, color lithograph, 26.25
Alphonse Mucha, the Art Nouveau painter from the Czech Republic, was born on July 24th, 1860. While he was attending school in Paris in the late 19th century, he became a highly successful commercial artist, designing posters, advertisements, and book illustrations. His … Continue reading
David Hockney, A Bigger Splash (Detail), 1967, acrylic on canvas, Tate Gallery, London, Photo by Ian Burt via Flickr, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License.
Memorial Day weekend is upon us and many Americans will gather poolside to enjoy a picnic while celebrating the memory of American soldiers. No one has captured the appeal of the American poolside setting better than British Pop artist, David Hockney. … Continue reading