I’m fairly certain that The Phillips Collection is incapable of disappointing (if I could pick any collection in the world to have as my own, the Phillips would certainly be it). Their latest exhibit, Per Kirkeby: Paintings and Sculpture, certainly upholds this standard, presenting “the most comprehensive survey in the United States to date of works by Scandinavia’s most highly acclaimed living artist, Per Kirkeby (Danish, b. 1938)” (The Phillips Collection). A visionary painter, printmaker, sculptor, writer and filmmaker, Kirkeby’s expressive works fuse science and the visual arts, his Master’s education in geology a pronounced influence on the artist’s striated yet fluid compositions. Personally I cannot get enough of Kirkeby’s Matisse-like palette, and Klee-esque forms.
For The Phillips Collection audio tour of the exhibit, visit The Phillips Collection website.
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- Per Kirkeby Gets First Major US Show at the Phillips Collection (washingtonian.com)
I was able to enjoy Kirkeby’s work firsthand at the Phillips on Friday. His use of media feels very spontaneous–like you must take it in quickly as it might change. His chalkboard pieces are very free and exuberant, but with a muted palette. You and the Phillips do a wonderful job of introducing the average museum-goer to artists we should know.