REIMAGINING
GEORGIA O’KEEFFE & ALFRED STIEGLITZ: 2018
Georgia O’Keeffe (1887-1986) and Alfred Stieglitz (1864-1946) are considered to be two of the most influential figures in 20th century American art. Stieglitz, a prominent photographer and gallery owner, is known for elevating photography to fine art as well as introducing European modern art to the New York art scene. He gave Georgia O’Keeffe her first solo show in 1917, promoted her work, and married her in 1924. Their love story – one of passion, deceit, and betrayal – is legendary as it documents a significant time in the history of modern art.
As a pioneer of modern art in America, O’Keeffe experimented with perspective – painting skyscrapers and large-scale close-ups of flowers. She visited New Mexico in 1929, where scenery, architecture and local Navajo culture inspired her to develop her animal skulls and southeastern landscapes series. In 1946, the Museum of Modern Art in New York presented a major retrospective of her work, which was the museum’s first solo exhibition of a female artist.
O’Keeffe and Stieglitz were revolutionaries who expanded the boundaries of art. What would they do if they were alive today?
Sarasota’s Alfstad& Contemporary shared this inquiry with a group of artists and invited them to create works inspired by the legendary figures. Reimagining Georgia O’Keeffe and Alfred Stieglitz: 2018 presents thirty pieces produced in Alfstad&’s printmaking studio. Artwork by Betsy Cameron, Robert Doyon, Kevin Hern, Grace Howl and Roberto Trevino, as well as Alfstad&’s original prints, are reminiscent of O’Keeffe’s flower and architectural motifs as well as Stieglitz’s passion for portraiture. The artists featured in this exhibition excel in creating innovative images that challenge our perception and keep alive their legacy.