Kirkeby oeuvres récentes. Paris, Vidal-Saint Phalle Gallery, 2012 / Bernard Vidal - Nathalie Bertoux art contemporain. Paris, Galerie Amélie du Chalard, 2022
The 2007 work "Untitled" by Per Kirkeby exemplifies what New York critic Peter Schjeldahl referred to in 1986 as the "Kirkeby Effect." It features an ostensibly chaotic structure that encourages the viewer to pause and slow down their perception. The work is characterized by powerful, gestural brushstrokes and a complex interplay of colors. Its dynamic composition captures the continually renewing force of nature, an energy that pervades the canvas and conveys a palpable physical presence. Kirkeby uses earthy tones that, combined with light and shadow effects, create a subtle tension. The vertical orientation emphasizes an upward movement, as if forms are breaking forth from the ground. In this work, Kirkeby unites the abstract with the organic, crafting a potent, poetic depiction of nature. It reflects a lifetime of engagement with the structures and processes of the Earth, both as a geologist and as an artist, and stands as a testament to Kirkeby's ability not only to depict nature, but to reveal its intrinsic energy and dynamism. (AvS)
Oil on canvas. 115 × 95,3 cm
(45 ¼ × 37 ½ in.). Monogrammed and dated with brush in green on the reverse: PK 07. With a label of Galerie Vidal-Saint Phalle, Paris, on the stretcher (here dated 2008). [3252]
Kirkeby oeuvres récentes. Paris, Vidal-Saint Phalle Gallery, 2012 / Bernard Vidal - Nathalie Bertoux art contemporain. Paris, Galerie Amélie du Chalard, 2022
The 2007 work "Untitled" by Per Kirkeby exemplifies what New York critic Peter Schjeldahl referred to in 1986 as the "Kirkeby Effect." It features an ostensibly chaotic structure that encourages the viewer to pause and slow down their perception. The work is characterized by powerful, gestural brushstrokes and a complex interplay of colors. Its dynamic composition captures the continually renewing force of nature, an energy that pervades the canvas and conveys a palpable physical presence. Kirkeby uses earthy tones that, combined with light and shadow effects, create a subtle tension. The vertical orientation emphasizes an upward movement, as if forms are breaking forth from the ground. In this work, Kirkeby unites the abstract with the organic, crafting a potent, poetic depiction of nature. It reflects a lifetime of engagement with the structures and processes of the Earth, both as a geologist and as an artist, and stands as a testament to Kirkeby's ability not only to depict nature, but to reveal its intrinsic energy and dynamism. (AvS)
