I'm sure most of you recognize Elizabeth Murray's work from the cover of the 2D design book, but I cannot help but be inspired by her. Her bright colors, organic shapes and crowded compositions intrigue the heck out of me. Upon further research I discovered her shapes weren't simply nonobjective, they were abstracted forms. Ever since 1995 when she was diagnosed with lung cancer she has been incorporating lung related shapes into her paintings. Makes a lot more sense now, right? Very cool.
I would definitely say it is her use of color that attracts me the most. She uses the full spectrum in every oil painting and yet they still hold together as a solid composition, blame it on her obvious use of proximity I suppose. The in your face, cartoonish, modernist abstractions she paints are undoubtably stunning. I find myself staring at her work, following every line and contour with my eyes and wondering what she was thinking. I hope to achieve that sense of wonder and intrigue with my work.
-DJK
Her older works especially were really influential b/c of her shaped canvases. Have you ever seen these in real life? They are reliefs actually. Takes a lot of technical skill to get those together.
ReplyDeleteNo I've never seen them I would LOVE to! New York museum field trip!
ReplyDeleteyes, absolutely! They have one of her coffee cup paintings at the Met.
ReplyDeleteLove her work. Lived in NYC in the 80s and remember a show if her work in Soho. Huge beautiful organic shapes with bright colors. Almost like a cartoon explosion! What a talent.
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