Untitled
Artist/Culture
Vija Celmins
American, 1938 -
Date1971
Mediumlithograph
Dimensions53.3 x 70.2 cm (sheet)
ClassificationsPrints
Credit LineEliza S. Paine Fund
Object number1974.114
Label TextThroughout her career, Celmins has focused on natural imagery, recreating waves, desert surfaces, and night skies in a variety of media. In 1968 she began taking photographs of the Pacific Ocean near her Venice Beach studio, images that ultimately served as the basis for one of her largest series of works. By eliminating identifiable features of the landscape and focusing on topography, Celmins was able to concentrate on the texture of organic materials. She noted, “For a while the subject was the photograph. So whatever the photograph told me, I did. I found great freedom in this.” Her ocean drawings, paintings, and prints reproduce “errors” like solar glare, blurring, and distortions consistent with her source photographs.
Throughout her career, Celmins has focused on natural imagery, recreating waves, desert surfaces, and night skies in a variety of media. In 1968 she began taking photographs of the Pacific Ocean near her Venice Beach studio, images that ultimately served as the basis for one of her largest series of works.
By eliminating identifiable features of the landscape and focusing on topography, Celmins was able to concentrate on the texture of organic materials. She noted, “For a while the subject was the photograph. So whatever the photograph told me, I did. I found great freedom in this.” Her ocean drawings, paintings, and prints reproduce “errors” like solar glare, blurring, and distortions consistent with her source photographs.
ProvenanceWilliam W. Struve, Connecticut
On View
Not on view