The de Kooning exhibit was a fantastic experience, one which I was lucky to be able to have (Thanks again Lauren). In my opinion, the best part of de Kooning’s work is that there is no set formula for a de Kooning piece. He dabbles in just about every different type of style, and is not afraid to try new things. At one point his pieces may be characterized by sharp angles and little color. At others, it’s all about smooth curves and colorful explosions. It’s really a marvel to look at.
Having come directly from the Snapshot Day gallery where so much emphasis was put on the curation and presentation, I couldn’t help but think of the organization of the pieces in the de Kooning exhibit. Thechoice they made, which in my opinion was the right choice, was to show his works chronologically, with each room being a different period of his artistic career. It was perfect for de Kooning’s work because of all of the different styles. Almost perfectly, each period was categorized by a different style of de Kooning.
What really brings this point home are all of the pictures of women. In almost every period, at least one piececan be found which is just a woman painted in the style he used at that time. The idea that they were all painted by the same person really highlights de Kooning’s versatility as an artist. What pulls this into focus is the picture entitled Portrait of Elaine, which can be found early on in the exhibit. In it, de Kooning paints an excellent, very realistic picture of a woman sitting in a chair. It provides an excellent contrast to the other paintings, and shows that the other styles were all choices made by an artist who can draw realistically, and chooses not to. If not for that piece, I’m not sure I would have appreciated all of his other works
DeKooning is an interesting artist, and it is an interesting idea to compare the various women that he has painted. Starting at the beginning of his work, it is hard to differentiate him from any of the other artists who have taken an introductory class to painting because his still lives are not that different from any one elses. Espeically in regard to women. You hit on a great issue, that of women in art. The female has been displayed in art since the beginning of time. One of the first art works ever found is the Venus of Willendorf, a goddess meant to help with fertility. Women are a great marker for the progression of art. The Mona Lisa, arguably one of the most famous paintings ever done is female. Within Davinci’s own work it is possible to trace his progression through the female body. In regards to DeKooning, it is not a surprise that his most famous abstract work, Women 1 is of a female. There is only so many times that the female could be represented in art, as is evidence in his first gallery with the image that is displayed above. Now Woman 1 is a fresh look at the female body that has not been represented before. Abstract Expression is brought about through this work. It is a great observation to bring in about the transformation of women in his artwork.