Arshile Gorky: Ardent Nature
Arshile Gorky: Ardent Nature
Book
Ardent Nature: Arshile Gorky Landscapes, 1943–1947 is the first exhibition catalogue to explore nature’s central role in establishing the singular voice of the pioneering figure in Abstract Expressionism. Gorky’s breakthrough came in the summer of 1943, during an extended stay at Crooked Run Farm, the Virginia homestead owned by his wife’s parents. There, the artist became enchanted by the bucolic surroundings, and his response to the fields, blooms, patterns, and colours around him began to manifest in vibrant compositions. The resulting works from this period, filled with organic forms and infused with extraordinary expressive freedom, are among the most moving of Gorky’s career.
Gorky’s drawings have an incredible tactility, with some of them showing layered details coming through. The book-binding cloth we selected has similar qualities. The way it catches the light and changes depending on the angle is a subtle nod to the artist’s work and the patterns and changing colours experienced in nature. The large typeface on the cover confidently reflects Gorky’s larger-than-life character.
2017
