The Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum has unveiled four brand-new exhibits. These displays showcase works from Abbey’s “Drawings from the Model,” “Albuquerque Revisited,” “Montenegro,” and “Gan Or” series, which have been archived for over 30 years and are now available for viewing exclusively at the museum.
The new exhibits include more than a dozen works of art and hundreds of additional pieces created solely by Abbey. These exhibits mark the first change to the museum’s works of art since it officially opened to the public in 2022.
“For these pieces, Rita drew inspiration from her past professional relationships, homes, and friendships,” said Laura Sanders, Executive Director of the Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum. “In creating the ‘Drawing from the Model’ works, Rita reflected on her studies and her time with the renowned Abstract Expressionist and mentor, Hans Hoffman. For the ‘Albuquerque Revisited’ pieces, Rita found inspiration in the landscape and architectural design of homes in that New Mexico town. Additionally, the ‘Montenegro’ pieces were influenced by a long-time dear friend, after whom they are named, while ‘Gan Or’ draws inspiration from Rita’s desert home and studio.”
“Drawings from the Model”
Four drawings were selected for display from Abbey’s “Drawings from the Model” series, which spanned from 1974 to 1983. This series explored the essential structures of space and form in composition. Many of her drawings from the model resemble her figures and textured paintings, showcasing the unmistakable presence of Abbey’s hand in her application of media, attention to detail, and the incorporation of gestural “accidents” that bring surfaces to life, as well as the use of a limited range and number of hues within each work.
Abbey was previously asked if the human body ever intimidated her. She responded, “I’m attracted to arroyos, valleys, cliffs, canyons, rivers, and sculpting. I saw it as a part of nature to develop my visual perception and understanding of space, form, and color.”
Abbey added, “When I moved west, I became very involved with the desert and was influenced by geology and the landscape – from large-scale vistas to small-scale fragments, plant growth, and wildlife. It was all-encompassing for me, and it still is. And now, I’m doing work that combines animal form with human anatomy and geological forms.”
“Albuquerque Revisited”
Five works of art have also been selected from Abbey’s “Albuquerque Revisited” series, created with monotypes on rolled and arjomari arches paper in 1987. The series is a later adaptation of Abbey’s earlier paintings in the Oil Ink on Paper Series, Albuquerque, created in 1953.
While attending the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, from 1950 to 1954, Abbey developed a strong affinity for the landscape of the American Southwest. The desert was enormously alluring to her, becoming another significant influence in her work. Abbey used various aspects of nature to augment, on a subconscious level, her creative process. Both series are less structured than most of her work and were executed in an experimental approach in which the exploration of the medium evolved into the development of an image.
“Montenegro”
Additionally, five works of art were selected from Abbey’s “Montenegro” series. In 1990, these works were created using a monoprint technique on various Hahnemühle German etching papers and Sugikawa Chine Collé. Monotyping is a printmaking method that involves drawing or painting on a smooth, non-absorbent surface, producing a unique print or monotype. The works are filled with vibrant colors and energetic shapes, encouraging the viewer’s interpretation.
“Gan Or Series”
Three remarkable pieces were chosen from Abbey’s “Gan Or” series. This series, created between 1984 and 1986, highlights oil pastel and graphite drawings. Fully titled “Gan Or Series: In “The Architectural Experience,” the drawings express personal fantasies and emotions tied to constructing a passive solar home and studio in the desert. Gan Or translates to “The Garden of Light” in Hebrew. She also designed and built two sculptural fireplaces made of rebar and structo-lite for the home. Drawings of Abbey’s fireplaces are included in the series.
Visit www.ritadeaninabbeymuseum.org for more information about the Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum, to plan a visit, and to purchase tickets (visits are by appointment only).
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