Artist Spotlight: Elaine de Kooning

Elaine de Kooning in her studio at the University of Georgia, ca. 1977-78.

The multi-faceted life and work of Elaine de Kooning, an equally accomplished artist, writer and teacher, makes her a captivating topic of study. Her contributions to the art world and the arts communities of the early 20th century at the height of the Abstract Expressionist movement mean that she has remained a consistent source of public and art historical fascination, ensuring her position as an arts, and feminist, icon. We’ve explored this, and de Kooning’s striking work in the Georgia Museum of Art’s collection before here on Holbrook’s Trunk, but now, de Kooning is back in the spotlight with an excellent exhibition of her work currently on show at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, and the conversion of her former East Hamptons residence into an inspiring artist colony. Although no survey of this prolific artist can ignore her unsettled marriage to Dutch émigré Willem de Kooning, who would go on to become one of the most revered and renowned artists of their generation, Elaine de Kooning’s accomplishments are decidedly her own, and her position in the history of American art is distinct and continuing.

De Kooning, a native New Yorker, had been creating works for much of her life but did not have her first solo exhibition until the early 1950s, at the city’s Stable Gallery, when she was in her mid-30s. Instead, she had focused on criticism, and became an esteemed writer and editor — she was one of the first critics to take note of the likes of Mark Rothko and became an associate editor at Art News in the late 1940s.

This exhibition at Stable Gallery became the first of many, and as her practice grew more distinctive, so did its public appreciation. While many of her post-war New York contemporaries, the renowned action painters that included her husband Willem, Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner, were making physical, powerful, Abstract Expressionist works, de Kooning took this gestural style and worked it into more figurative series, often veering into portraiture. This combination of the traditional form of posed portraits with the abstraction that was so attached to the zeitgeist is a fascinating blend that gives a great insight to the cultural landscape of the post-war United States. Elaine’s often faceless representations of the male form, which ranged from anonymous basketball players to her famed commissioned images of John F. Kennedy, pervert or subvert the traditional artist-sitter relationship, and make her sitter subject to a female gaze. The basketball players in particular almost appear as a 20th-century retroversion of Edgar Degas’ amorous, voyeuristic images of young female ballet dancers — nameless, faceless, elegant female forms drawn and painted tirelessly by a 19th-century male at the forefront of Impressionism, 100 years earlier, seeming antiquated alongside de Kooning’s expression of female power.

Elaine de Kooning, "Bacchus #81" (1983)

This progressiveness in de Kooning’s work is what is still recognized and appreciated today — the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington exclusively highlights her portrait work and has been years in the making, and examples of de Kooning's work are featured in collections across the world, from the Guggenheim to the Georgia Museum of Art. “Bacchus #81,” in the collection and on display at the museum, is a mesmerizing example of many of these features, and its position at the museum is a particularly appropriate choice — de Kooning held a long and interesting history with the University of Georgia. She taught at a variety of esteemed institutions from Yale University to the Parsons New School for Design, before settling for some time as a Dodd Visiting Professor here at UGA. She held a studio on campus during this time in the late 1970s, where her artistic output was particularly fruitful. In fact, de Kooning actually began her Bacchus series in this studio at the university, as seen in production in the picture at the top of this post, following an affecting experience with Jules Dalou’s “Le Triomphe de Silene,” a violent sculpture featuring Bacchus and figures in similar forms to those in the painting, in the Jardin du Luxembourg, Paris.

“Bacchus #81” is one work in the museum’s collection of nearly 10,000 that is particularly at home. A stone’s throw away from where Elaine de Kooning began its series, it acts as a great representation of the museum’s — and de Kooning’s — contributions to the history of American art.

The Power of Preservation

Mary Franklin, an Athens native, was born on February 25, 1842. Throughout her lengthy career as an artist, Franklin trained all over the United States and in Paris. After decades of being a student, Ms. Franklin She eventually returned to her roots and taught with the Athens Art Association in Peabody Hall. She loved the University of Georgia so much that, upon her death, in 1928, she donated her entire estate to the school.  Part of this donation included a series of paintings that were hung throughout campus.

Some of Franklin’s works were hung in Soule Hall, where they were respected and admired for many years. During World War II, Soule Hall changed from a women’s dorm to a school for the navy, and the paintings were put into storage.

In the 1970s, these paintings reappeared at the Georgia Museum of Art, with little paperwork. While they had been cared for at one time, they did not arrive unblemished. The paintings suffered from surface loss, cracks, stains and unstable frames with gaping holes. Fortunately, they were about to have a change in luck.

This good fortune came in the form of Hildegard Timberlake, 92, and her son, Tom, 52. Ms. Timberlake had been both the editor and president of the Art Association over the years, and Tom shared her love of the arts. The pair wanted to do something about the condition of Franklin’s prized paintings and decided to make the admirable commitment to restore them to their former glory. They hoped to have the rest of the world enjoy the paintings as they had and found a way to sponsor the conservation.

“My favorite painting is ‘Nomad,’” said Hildegard. “‘Nomad’ is compelling because she acts as a caretaker. But a caretaker of what? Is it nature, is it history, is it political, or is it bonds to the family? The purpose of the caretaker is suggested but not imposing. Mary Franklin's composition of the painting is well done. The color theory is well applied, even outstanding, with its blending method. The expression of the caretaker is sincere with some pride looking down on the observer. Shadows reflect the observance of nature, climate and sunshine. Her body structure shows that she is carrying a burden, but is ready to carry it with pride and strength. A great painting!”

Susan Jones, a conservator from Atlanta, restored the paintings. Jones has a range of experience working with older paintings, including one by Klaus Molenear, a 17th-century Dutch artist. She explained both the challenges and rewards of conserving the Mary Franklin paintings: “Outside of getting the paintings stabilized, I would say that the texture of the canvas was the most difficult part. [Franklin] used a very heavy linen, and although she did not mind putting paint on the canvas, it still left a very rough texture and was a challenge to clean. Aside from that, I loved finally getting down to the original vibrant colors that she used and seeing the paintings come to life.”

“Nomad,” the largest of the paintings, was the first to be restored. The Timberlakes provided funding, and the museum sent the framed painting to Jones in Atlanta. “Nomad” came back in incredible form, and the Timberlakes decided to fund the conservation of another painting from the series, “Tunisian Perfume Market.” The two restored paintings were publicly unveiled and put on temporary display for others to enjoy for the first time in more than 40 years.

Visitors, students and scholars at the Georgia Museum of Art are now able to enjoy the work of Mary Franklin due to the contributions and dedication of the Timberlake family. Franklin gave the University of Georgia the gift of her works, and the Timberlake family gave the gift of preservation, a gift that will last for years.

Hildegard Timberlake's deep affection for the paintings of Mary Franklin caused her to donate funds for the conservation of two paintings in the permanent collection. At this event, the results were shared with the Timberlakes, museum supporters and staff. May 21, 2015.

Additional Measures Taken in Assemblage of El Taller de Gráfica Popular Exhibition

 

Todd Rivers installs wall vinyl next to Arturo García Bustos’ poster.

El Taller de Gráfica Popular, also known as the TGP, is a Mexico City-based print workshop, founded in the 1930s, that focused on Mexican and global issues in its heyday. From linoleum prints to woodcuts, the TGP created hundreds of pieces that brought political issues to the Mexican people.

Through September 13, the Georgia Museum of Art presents a collection of nearly 250 posters, flyers, fine prints and other works on paper produced by the TGP. Such a large exhibition (taking up seven galleries) as well as the fragility of the works, many of which were created for ephemeral purposes, required special measures in the matting and framing process as well as the exhibition design.

Todd Rivers, chief preparator at the museum, explained: “A lot was involved in framing the 205 works for this exhibition [that are hung on the wall; others are installed in cases]. Each piece was a different size and needed to be framed and matted accordingly.”

Works of art in exhibitions at the museum are normally matted and framed to fit predetermined stock frames, but four of these works needed custom frame sizes due to unusual dimensions.

One of these, the largest work in the collection, created by printmaker Arturo García Bustos in two pieces and joined, required special attention. Due to its size, the preparators could not mat it by hinging the front and back mats. Instead, the mat package was sandwiched, so as not to damage the tissue-paper-thin material. Rivers also hand cut the extra-large mat. Moving the matted work into the frame required many sets of hands, to keep it level and stable, and the process of actually framing it took about four hours, much longer than usual.

Rivers designed the exhibition as his thesis project for his master of fine arts degree, with a concentration in interior design, from UGA, and he considered framing methods and their aesthetic appeal extensively. To highlight the works of art instead of overwhelming them, he chose blond wooden frames with beige mats so as to mimic the yellowed paper of the works.

Rivers also selected wall colors to reflect the subject matter of the exhibition. Anti-Nazi and anti-Fascist works inspired a brown used in some galleries, drawn from the colors of Nazi and Fascist uniforms. Red symbolizes Communism, which the workshop supported. Even the shapes that serve as backdrops convey meaning. A red wedge in the background represents how communistic ideals wedged their way into nations all over the world.

The matting, framing and color schemes all aim to complement the works of the TGP and the messages they conveyed. With so many different images in the exhibition, these elements of design aim to help the visitor leave the exhibition with a better sense of what the TGP is and the issues for which it stood.

MFA Candidate: Zipporah Thompson

“'Cosmic Motherland’ is a bizarre exploration of the futuristic primitive, echoing the ideals and aesthetics of afro-futurism through a psychic, primordial landscape referencing mystical darkness, dream worlds and the cosmos. Dreaming, explored by Jung as a childlike state, correlates to beliefs concerning the primitive and its ties to the infantile. Jung also describes as adults our continuous desire to return to the womb, as home and source of sustenance and life," says Zipporah Thompson about her installation at the Georgia Museum of Art. 

Thompson uses an array of fabric and materials of varying color and texture to create this landscape of Cosmic Motherland. From a distance this mystical display has a ritualistic feel. In high contrast against the museum walls it is powerful while each individual piece calls for closer examination. These textiles form together in chaotic medley of experience for the subconscious. 

She continues that "The primordial, surrealist landscape of Cosmic Motherland echoes the cosmos, with its simultaneous potential for creation and destruction. The ever changing states of chaos and metamorphosis are present within the work. These objects are involved in a ritual of shape-shifting and evolution, and echo the inner workings of the womb, as well as the mind."

Thompson is interested in the process of creating such a diversity of compelling materials and colliding them together in one unified collective. Much of the meaning remains unknown yet mysterious to the viewer, beckoning more questions and causing them to search within themselves for their own sacred connection to another world.

"Alchemy, ritual, sacred places, other worlds, and subtle energy are explored within the work, in an effort to reconstruct narratives concerning identity, belonging, and the spiritual,” says Thompson.

Her work will be on display in the “Master of Fine Arts Degree Candidates Exhibition” at the Georgia Museum of Art from April 11 to May 3, 2015.

http://www.zipporahcamille.com

MFA Candidate: Lily Smith

A jewelry/metals student, Lily Smith says, “I’ve always been really interested in work that goes on the body. . . . I’ve also worked a lot with fabrics in undergrad and grad school.”

She uses the term “jewelry” loosely as work that goes on the body and talks about the body. She combines the ideas of jewelry with those of garment and fashion, finding an interest in the colliding of fields. For her piece that will be in the Georgia Museum of Art, she combines hand-dyed silks and thinned-down silicon with added pigment painted on fabric to create the textures of fleshy forms. The result is a wearable piece that recalls the feel and form of different parts of the body.

She explains her interest is not only in work that goes on the body but also is about the body. The garments she creates mimic natural forms of the human form but are exaggerated. With a skin-tone color palette and materials that resemble skin as much as worn fabrics, she makes voluptuous plump forms that hang around the figure when the piece is worn.  

“This work talks about our standards of beauty and the ideal female figure. They're like dresses but rather than accentuating a thin figure they're fatty forms with multiple breasts and bellies, celebrating the fact that maybe that can be just as beautiful as a thin more fit person. Celebrating the curves and the fat and flesh in general,” she says.

Her creations take beauty to a richly authentic level with their yearning to be seen and felt. These garments continue to evolve with her interest in the process of making as well as the intrigue of the final state. They hold the viewer captive while evoking feelings about their own personal connection to the human form.

Smith’s work will be shown at the “Master of Fine Arts Degree Candidates Exhibition” at the Georgia Museum of Art from April 11 to May 3, 2015.

http://handgrownjewelry.weebly.com/lily-smith.html

MFA Candidate: Louisa Powell

Trapped in Our Maps

Louisa Powell is a sculpture candidate interested in creating structural systems that explore spaces. Often starting with a single form, she lets the work transform itself and grow according to the space. Although most of her work is site-specific, for her show at the Georgia Museum of Art she had to find a way to be more flexible, creating it outside of the installation space. The idea for this work started with a bookshelf. 

“I have since decided to remove the actual bookshelf from the equation, but my form has boundaries and cut-outs in it that reflect its relationship with the bookshelf,” explains Powell. 

She says she hopes to do a second small piece that will interact with the architecture of the hallway outside the gallery. She wants it to be an iteration of the gallery sculpture and to react to the particularities of the site in which it is installed. 

Starting out as an environmental design student and earning her undergraduate degree in this field, Powell took her love for design and moved toward a deeper exploration of form. Preferring to work with her hands over the computer, her passion for installations took root and flourished. 

Powell currently has an installation on display at Creature Comforts. Previously she showed one of her installation pieces at the Bulldog Inn show, using the room to present an expansive breadth of shapes and organic forms. 

To see her newest installation, attend the Georgia Museum of Art’s “Master of Fine Arts Degree Candidates Exhibition” from April 11 to May 3, 2015.

http://louisapowell.com

MFA Candidate: Patrick Brien

Patrick Brien paints images that portray the interference of digital imagery with the subconscious. There is no way to ignore the inundation of media in day to day activities. Just the same his work has been largely impacted by our technologically driven world.

“My work is concerned with the way in which the language of technological interfaces have come to mediate and possibly alter our experience of daily life. Acting as a veil or overlay upon our normative way of seeing the world, the nomenclature of these apps, software programs and digital graphics have become nearly seamlessly integrated into our most mundane or exciting experiences," says Brien.

Brien's work reflects the digital look of technology and the images that are constantly presented to us. He is interested in the effect that so much technology has on our daily lives. With so much change he feels there is a trade off in order to make room for so much progress. 

He continues, "These technologies have made our lives better in many ways. However, I am enthralled by the trade-off that takes place in order for us to engage with these new advancements. It seems that we are now willing to give up more of our privacy, personal information and exact location at any given moment in order to get directions from mapping apps or to interact with friends and family through social media. I am curious about how these new and changing habits will continue to impact the way we look and see.”

Brien’s work will be on display in the “Master of Fine Arts Degree Candidates Exhibition” at the Georgia Museum of Art from April 11 to May 3, 2015.

MFA Candidate: Mahera Khaleque

from 'Palimpsest to Palimpsestuous'

After growing up in Bangladesh and now having spent many years in the United States, Mahera Khaleque considers herself a diasporic artist. Her state of being present and absent in two distant places is echoed in the logic and structure of her interwoven paintings. Through her art, she feels she can express the culture that is fed through her. Like a filter, she catches moments and images that stick out in her mind and transmits them into her work.

“My bi-cultural status simultaneously permits and forces me to choose one practice over another or blend them on a daily basis regardless of my physical existence in one or the other geographical location,” says Khaleque.

For her upcoming show at the Georgia Museum of Art she worked with the idea of the Palimpsest. A Palimpsest is a manuscript where the original material has been erased and written on top of, though traces of the original show through. 

To execute this idea she layered paint with her dad’s journal entries, historical writings from political figures in Bangladesh, along with other manuscripts. These woven creations are like self-portraits from her subconscious representing her worlds intermingling with the past always showing through. 

Khaleque elaborates that, “While the first reason responsible for overwriting manuscripts reminds me of urban walls occupied with overcrowded posters and writings saturated with natural erosions, the latter reminds me of deliberate efforts in erasing as well as re-writing history throughout the historical timeline.” 

She is inspired by the additive and reductive process of creating and how history can be written and rewritten and covered over to allow for more. People are surprised to find that she works not on canvas but on cardboard. This material gives her art a raw, authentic feel, just like the collage work she creates.

“Depending on my physical existence in one geographical location, some cultural practices from one culture become more dominant over others. Very often I find myself blending them subconsciously in my work as well as regular interactions with my surrounding,” she explains. 

Khaleque tries to convey a sense of absence and loss through her paintings, which comes across in the way the layers may be peeled away to show what remains of the past. Her images show how culture can be seen through individual experience.

To experience these paintings, visit the “Master of Fine Arts Degree Candidates Exhibition” at the Georgia Museum of Art from April 11 to May 3, 2015.

http://maherakhaleque.com/home.html