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O'Keeffe's Hidden Geometry: Architecture Revealed
8 Sep
Summary
- New exhibition showcases Georgia O'Keeffe's less-known architectural works.
- O'Keeffe captured New York skyscrapers and rural barns with unique vision.
- The show reveals her abstract studies of a New Mexico patio door.
Georgia O'Keeffe: Architecture, a new exhibition at the Detroit Institute of Arts, explores the artist's significant body of work focused on the built environment. While widely celebrated for her vibrant flower and landscape paintings, this show highlights her equally compelling studies of architecture.
Curator Ben Coleman aims to present a fresh perspective on O'Keeffe's familiar art by focusing on works she considered essential. The exhibition features pieces ranging from rural stables in upstate New York and Quebec, created in the late 1930s, to the towering skyscrapers of New York City.
O'Keeffe's New York period, from the mid-1920s to 1949, saw her create groundbreaking cityscapes from high vantage points, including depictions of the East River industrial district. These works, though starkly different from her naturalistic paintings, demonstrate her ability to capture the essence of a place through its structures.
The exhibition also features a remarkable depiction of the Brooklyn Bridge, created in 1949 as a farewell to the city. Additionally, it delves into O'Keeffe's abstract explorations of a patio door at her Abiquiu, New Mexico home, painted dozens of times during the 1940s and 50s.
Immersive digital experiences allow visitors to virtually inhabit spaces O'Keeffe occupied, such as her Shelton Hotel apartment and her New Mexico patio. The exhibition underscores O'Keeffe's deep connections with architects and designers, revealing a significant yet often overlooked aspect of her celebrated career.
