Title: Seaside, 1 Woman, 2 Men
Medium: Unique Goauche & Archival pigment print
Size: 23 x 21 Inches (58.4 x 53.3 cm)
Edition: of 30
Year: 2020
Notes: Series of 30, each uniquely hand-embellished, signed by the artist on front, 2020
Custom Framed Floating on White Acid Free Matting with A Flat White Frame and White Acid Free Spacers
Exploring the Ethereal and Embracing Mystery: The Artistry of Katherine Bradford
In the world of art, where mystery meets clarity and the ethereal collides with the horrific, Katherine Bradford stands as a prominent figure who beautifully blurs the lines between reality and imagination. Her work invites us to dwell in the enigmatic, acknowledging that the absolute truth may forever remain elusive.
Bradford's art mesmerizes both critics and admirers with its remarkable mark making, profound emotional expression, and the palpable materiality of feelings. Each stroke of her brush captures raw emotion and reflects the unique essence of her presence, creating a distinct visual language.
The artist constructs forms through delicate washes of sweeping brushstrokes, crafting intricate layered colorfields. Her figures, reminiscent of deities, seem to come alive within the vast expanse of her canvases. They exist as both a community and a composition, radiating a sense of otherworldly presence.
Bradford's series, "Seaside, 1 Woman, 2 Men," comprises 30 gouache on pigment print works. These pieces possess a palimpsest-like quality, created by layering gouache atop a base print. This process obscures and transforms the original image, giving birth to new narratives. In this series, three figures stand together, two of them holding hands, against a backdrop that hints at quiet reflection and serenity—a serene mutability. Or perhaps, they are awaiting something yet to come. These works were created in the spring of 2020, a time when contemplation of figures in confined spaces, individual ecosystems, and the delicate balance between disconnection and connection took on heightened significance.
About Katherine Bradford: Katherine Bradford, born in 1942 in New York, is an artist who currently resides and works in both New York and Maine. Her remarkable artworks have graced the walls of prestigious institutions, including The Modern Art Museum Fort Worth in Texas, MoMA PS 1 in New York, the Brooklyn Museum, the Portland Museum of Art in Maine, the Addison Gallery of American Art in Massachusetts, the Weatherspoon Gallery in North Carolina, and the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.
Throughout her illustrious career, Bradford has received recognition for her artistic contributions, including awards from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, a Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant, a Joan Mitchell Foundation Grant, and a Guggenheim Fellowship. Her work finds a permanent home in the collections of esteemed institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Brooklyn Museum, and the New York Public Library in New York City, as well as numerous others across the United States. Her art has left an indelible mark on the world of contemporary art, inviting us to explore the boundless possibilities of human connection and self-expression.