The Cleveland museum of Art presents ‘Georgia O’Keeffe – Living Modern’, an examination of an extrao
She was an artist extraordinaire and considered the “mother of American modernism”. Her career began in 1905 as a student of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago followed by the Art Students League of New York. She was active in the art community clear up to her passing in 1986 at the age of 98. I am of course talking about Georgia O’Keeffe.
During her career of 80 years she was a painter, clothes designer, teacher, sculptress as well as a sought after model for the great photographers of the day. Following art school in Chicago and New York she worked for two years as a commercial illustrator followed by a seven year stint of teaching art in Virginia, Texas and South Carolina. During the summer months she would study art where she was introduced to the principles and philosophies of Arthur Wesley Dow who felt that art should be based on personal style, design and interpretation of subjects. This turn around is reflected in O’Keeffe’s work of that time.
She met art dealer and photographer Alfred Stieglitz in 1915 and after another stint of teaching and studying O’Keeffe had Alfred mount an exhibit of her works in 1917. In 1918 she moved to New York City with Stieglitz and later married him in 1924. One of her fortes was the creating of paintings of close-ups of flowers that some thought obscene even though O’Keeffe denied that they represented female genitalia. Alfred and Georgia lived together in New York until 1929 when O’Keeffe began spending time in the Southwestern United States. The two remained married until his death in 1946 after which she took up permanent residency in New Mexico where she founded Ghost Ranch.
The current exhibition “Georgia O’Keeffe – Living Modern” is a tribute to this remarkable artist and person who paved the way for others in her own unique way. It is a collection of familiar as well as rarely seen photos, film, dresses, shoes, paintings and sculpture that give you a true idea of the length and breadth of talent that she possessed.
“Georgia O’Keeffe – Living Modern” will be on display at the Cleveland Museum of Art through March 3, 2019. Combination ticket prices that include admission to both the Renaissance Splendor and the Georgia O’Keeffe exhibit are on sale now to the general public at $25 for Adults, $21 for Seniors and college students, $12 for children 6-17 with museum members and children 5 and under free. Single tickets for just the Renaissance Splendor exhibit are $15 for Adults, $13 for Seniors and college students, $12 for adult groups, $7 for children 6-17 and member guests with members and children 5 and under free.
It is recommended that you purchase your tickets ahead of time by calling (216) 421-7350, online by going to http://www.clevelandart.org/ or by stopping by the museums ticket center.