For part 1, click here.
The North Carolina Art Museum recently hosted an exhibit of work by American artist Georgia O’Keeffe and and contemporary artists whose work was influenced by O’Keeffe. There were some really nice works, some where you can see how O’Keeffe’s work influenced the artist and some that, frankly, I felt was reaching to find common ground.
Let’s start with a couple where I can actually see the influence of Georgia O’Keeffe. First up is this wonderful painting by American and Israeli artist Sharona Eliassaf. Eliassaf, like O’Keeffe, is fascinated by her surroundings, and the city landscapes of New York are some of her favorite subjects. This painting, entitled Stars to Dust, Dust to Stars, is reminiscent of O’Keeffe’s New York paintings. I love the bright colors and the art deco influence.
It’s interesting to compare Loie Holloway’s paintings to those of Georgia O’Keeffe. Holloway acknowledges O’Keeffe’s influence on her art, especially in the abstract sexuality in their works. O’Keeffe’s paintings of flowers were, according to art critics, modernistic paintings of female genitalia. Holloway’s favorite subject is genitalia, although in abstract form. Here’s The Land’s Part, from 2017, by Loie Holloway.
Canadian artist Caroline Larsen’s works are quite unique. Larsen applies the paint much the same way a baker applies frosting to cakes, using piping bags and squeezing the paint through metal nibs onto the canvas. The result is beautiful work that is reminiscent of beading.
Like O’Keeffe, Larsen draws inspiration from the desert. In Larsen’s case, she focuses on the little man-made oases that spot the desert. While the two artists works are quite different, I find it interesting that, despite the different styles, the buildings in both of these works share similar colors.
Kim Keever’s abstracts are reminiscent of O’Keeffe’s floral paintings. I like the muted colors of Keever’s photographs, which are created by pouring pigments into a large tank of water. Because of the fleeting nature of the pigments, Keever has to work quickly to capture the smoky, dreamlike images. His work is quite beautiful.
Matthew Ronay is a New York-based folk artist who hand-carved sculptures are both whimsical and beautiful. Ronay acknowledges O’Keeffe’s as an inspiration. His abstract sculptures can be rocks, plants, or body parts. In this way, his art is like similar to O’Keeffe’s abstract works. I love the colors and the fluidity of shape in his work.
There are so many beautiful works in the exhibit that I’ll continue with a third post soon.
Mostly True 