New Georgia O'Keeffe exhibit opens Sunday in Denver

"It is not a country of light on things. It is a country of things in light."

I traveled to Denver yesterday to see the "Georgia O'Keeffe in New Mexico" exhibit at the Denver Art Museum during a media preview event.

While the display is lacking some of the large name works that can be seen on postcards, posters and perhaps most famously my mom's desktop wallpaper, it does feature a few rare paintings that should draw in knowledgeable fans and the curious first timers.

The display includes 53 pieces, including 15 rarely seen Katsinam doll paintings, from O'Keeffe's time in New Mexico. The works map her growth as an artists during that time period when O'Keeffe  became very productive in the solitude of the west, creating the art she would become known for. She was attracted to the area almost instantly, finding beauty in the architecture and landscape - forms that were very different from the glass and steel of the skyscrapers she experienced in New York.

The exhibit has several examples of her work with local churches and landscapes next to original drawings.She would often paint the same locations in different ways, some more abstract than others, playing with shapes and colors that she had not worked with before.

 The Georgia O'Keeffe museum helped set everything up and many of the works come from its collections. Those works aside, the most interesting part of the exhibit was the katsinam doll paintings which have rarely been shown.

  

Representative of spiritual figures from the Hopi tribes which traveled between the spirit world and the mortal world, these dolls were used to teach young tribe members about each God and their role in everyday life. Some brought rain, others provided punishment to those who had committed wrongs. O'Keeffe was certainly aware of the cultural and religious aspects of these dolls, having been invited to several ceremonies, but was more interested in their color and form. They provided the differing textures and colors she had been searching for in the desert environment which was essentially monochromatic.

These paintings were made for herself and were occasionally given to friends. As a result, there have been few chances to see these dolls and the Denver Art Museum is rightfully excited to share them here. The works are augmented by the museum's collection of dolls which they have on display in the exhibit which gives a nice level of continuity. I found it interesting comparing the two sets and seeing how O'Keeffe played with their types and shapes over time.  

The exhibit opens Feb. 10 and runs through April 28. Admission to the exhibit is included with a general admission ticket. Head to their web page for more information and to book your visit now.