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| Ellsworth Kelly, Curve XXI (1978-80) San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. The New York Times. November 27, 2011 |
Ellsworth Kelly’s wood sculptures,
recently on display at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts[1], seem exceptional in
their elegance and simplicity. The subtle curves, the patterns in natural wood
grains and the transparency of cast shadows evoke calm contemplation in the
viewer. It seems as if one is being drawn towards an ideal monolith or relief,
where the interplay of shadow and shape creates a refined and aesthetic ambiguity.
Visiting this extraordinary exhibition of nineteen of Kelly’s thirty wood
sculptures is like finding « . . .some profound silence amid the hubbub of
daily urban life. . .”[2]
Although the wood sculptures have impressed me as the highlight
of Ellsworth Kelly’s artistic range, he is known primarily for his other works.
Sebastian Smee comments,” Most people associate his mature work with flat,
carefully shaped planes of rich, unmodulated color, each plane placed subtly in
relation to another. His “Blue Green Orange Yellow Red” was recently acquired
by the MFA and now graces a handsome gallery in the Linde Family Wing.”[3]
What interests me about this painting is Kelly’s use of panels and his skillful
handling of pure color. From my own experience as an artist, I know how challenging
it can be to work with vivid hues placed side by side, where they can vie for
the viewer’s attention in an unpleasant visual cacophony of intensity. Kelly’s
huge piece is refreshing to look at, showing us the joyful expanse of a
simplified spectrum.
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| Ellsworth Kelly, Blue Green Yellow Orange Red, 1968. Boston Museum of Fine Arts. Personal Photo. |
After contemplating Kelly's works, I feel the need to simplify and streamline the shapes I am working with. The last few panels I have been working on have become very busy, with layers of dripping paint and curling lines, almost 'baroque' as my mentor has commented.
[1] Ellsworth Kelly: Wood Sculpture. Foster
Gallery 158. Boston Museum of Fine
Arts, September
18, 2011- March 4, 2012
[2] Plagens, Peter.
“Beautiful, Quiet and Spare.” The Wall Street Journal: Arts and
Entertainment. October 6, 2011. Web. 29 Feb. 2012.
September 23, 2010. Web. 1 March 2012. <http://www.boston.com/>
Five Panels: Blue Green Yellow Orange Red, gift from the Bank of America,
September, 2010.
