Alice Neel "Selected Works"

David Zwirner 19th Street

poster for Alice Neel "Selected Works"

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The exhibition at David Zwirner focuses on a selection of figurative paintings, ranging in date from the late 1940s to early 1980s. These revelatory works reflect the evolution of Neel’s commitment to depicting the people around her with compassion, accuracy, and freedom, as seen in the portraits of her family members, such as her son Hartley (1952), whose image she continued to paint during the different stages of his life. Throughout her career Neel was attracted to unusual characters whose physical attributes and personalities were intriguing and visually appealing to her. Her strong power of observation and unique ability to empathize is reflected in her psychologically charged portraiture, which captures the individuality of her sitters in an unforgiving yet tender manner. This is especially evident in one of her most remarkable paintings, Annie Sprinkle (1982), in which the burlesque performance artist is shown posing in the leather outfit of a dominatrix. The unabashed quality of this image demonstrates the felicitous communion Neel had with the people she painted.

Concurrent exhibitions Alice Neel "Nudes of the 1930s" at Zwirner & Wirth.

[Image: Alice Neel "Hartley" (1952) Oil on canvas 32 x 20 1/4 in.]

Media

Schedule

from May 14, 2009 to June 20, 2009

Opening Reception on 2009-05-14 from 18:00 to 20:00

Artist(s)

Alice Neel

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