Tate Modern – Arshile Gorky, A Retrospective (February 10 – May 3 2010)
4 out of 5
The Tate Modern launches its spring season with an excellent show presenting a lifetime of work by one of the more underrated American painters, Arshile Gorky. Despite the confusing promotional materials that advertise Gorky’s portraits, the exhibition is a cornucopia of geometric design. Incorporating influences of several artistic movements, the majority of work is abstract with a focus on patterns and angles.
Gorky’s transformation from a pupil of others to a master with his own voice is clear. The initial rooms have hints of Cezanne, Picasso, Klee, and Picabia as the colours alternate between depth and translucency. Room 3 is the black and white palate cleanser before colour assault of room 4, where the exhibition really takes off as the scale of the work increases. This is where Gorky really hit his stride as an artist with his own vision of pale lemon yellows, bright oranges, and full reds.
Only one room (7) reflects Gorky’s skill as a portraitist. Of Armenian origin, Gorky and his family moved to America when he was still a child, but this immigrant experience and the hardship that his family suffered early on never left him. The profundity of that sadness and uncertainty for the future comes across in Gorky’s portraits. Despite his skill as a portraitist, Gorky’s true talent lies in his abstract work. Rooms 10 and 11 are the exhibition’s highlight with every painting a visual spectacle full of frenzied energy.
The last room focuses on the sad end of Gorky’s life and the health difficulties he suffered leading up to his suicide. Understandably, the work in this room is sombre. The colours are dense and dark and the compositions take on a sinister mood reminiscent of a beautiful but desperate wasteland.
Overall, a fantastic show of an excellent artist.
The Tate Modern launches its spring season with an excellent show presenting a lifetime of work by one of the more underrated American painters, Arshile Gorky. Despite the confusing promotional materials that advertise Gorky’s portraits, the exhibition is a cornucopia of geometric design. Incorporating influences of several artistic movements, the majority of work is abstract with a focus on patterns and angles.
Gorky’s transformation from a pupil of others to a master with his own voice is clear. The initial rooms have hints of Cezanne, Picasso, Klee, and Picabia as the colours alternate between depth and translucency. Room 3 is the black and white palate cleanser before colour assault of room 4, where the exhibition really takes off as the scale of the work increases. This is where Gorky really hit his stride as an artist with his own vision of pale lemon yellows, bright oranges, and full reds.
Only one room (7) reflects Gorky’s skill as a portraitist. Of Armenian origin, Gorky and his family moved to America when he was still a child, but this immigrant experience and the hardship that his family suffered early on never left him. The profundity of that sadness and uncertainty for the future comes across in Gorky’s portraits. Despite his skill as a portraitist, Gorky’s true talent lies in his abstract work. Rooms 10 and 11 are the exhibition’s highlight with every painting a visual spectacle full of frenzied energy.
The last room focuses on the sad end of Gorky’s life and the health difficulties he suffered leading up to his suicide. Understandably, the work in this room is sombre. The colours are dense and dark and the compositions take on a sinister mood reminiscent of a beautiful but desperate wasteland.
Overall, a fantastic show of an excellent artist.
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