Arshile Gorky

I think one of the more underrated artists of the twentieth century is Arshile Gorky. This is really an artist we should be taking another look at. Gorky has influenced the development of painting in many subtle ways, and we should be looking more at his stuff.

Many of us have copied paintings of celebrated artists to learn about their vision and technique. Gorky took it a step further. When he wanted to study, say, Cezanne, he wanted to really get into Cezanne’s head. So he would go out and find dishes, tablecloth, and fruit, and set up a still life that looked like Cezanne’s still lifes. Then he would “be” Cezanne, and paint the still life in his style.

Every now and then you will run across one of Gorky’s studies from this period. They can be disconcerting at first. You see this Cezanne, but it clearly isn’t Cezanne. Part of your brain shouts “Who is this?” Then you look at the label and find that this is a Gorky.

It is painful to take in the suffering this man endured, yet it is also a marvel to see how much of it he endured gracefully. When his studio burned and much of his work was destroyed in the fire, he called it a chance for a fresh start, an opportunity to create a new body of work unencumbered by what came before. A nice thought, but Gorky opened doors for painting in ways that seemed quite free of encumbrances, while he was also able to use the tools his study of previous artists gave him. I see in his attitude and achievements a good model for a new year.

Learn more about Gorky at:  http://arshilegorkyfoundation.org/