Wednesday, September 14, 2011

de Kooning, a Retrospective

Willem de Kooning, Untitled, (1976). Oil on newspaper mounted on paper mounted on linen, 29 1/8 x 22 3/8". Fractional and promised gift of Jo Carole and Ronald S. Lauder. © 2011 The Willem de Kooning Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York, 802.1996
A friend invited me to the opening of the de Kooning retrospective at the Modern tonight, and we were both blown away. What really struck me, aside from the jaw-dropping quality of the work, was de Kooning's great range -- he may be second only to Picasso in that respect.

I want to write about this show, but I need to see it a few more times and read the catalog essay written by the curator, John Elderfield. I'm going away Friday for a couple of weeks, but I'll get on it as soon as I get back. In the meantime, go see it if you can.
Willem de Kooning, Pirate (Untitled II), 1981. Oil on canvas, 7' 4" x 6' 4 3/4". Sidney and Harriet Janis Collection Fund. © 2011 The Willem de Kooning Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York, 107.1982

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