Dorothea Tanning: Doesn't the Paint Say It All?

Dorothea Tanning, a self-taught American Surrealist artist, created dreamlike worlds that straddled figuration and abstraction, pioneering a unique prismatic formal language. This catalog highlights her works created between the 1950s and 90s, with essays by scholars and reproduces her 1986 essay "To Paint."

Format: Hardback
Length: 84 pages
Publication date: 30 November 2022
Publisher: Paul Kasmin Gallery

American Surrealist artist Dorothea Tanning (1910–2012) created a body of work that spanned painting, sculpture, printmaking, installation, and writing over seven decades. Her enigmatic oeuvre is considered one of the most significant of the 20th century. Tanning's paintings create dreamlike worlds that blend figuration and abstraction, pioneering a unique prismatic formal language that continues to resonate today. This fully illustrated catalog showcases her works from the 1950s to the 1990s, a particularly fruitful period in her career. It includes over 20 significant paintings drawn from different phases of her practice, providing a comprehensive view of her stylistic development.

Scholars Mary Ann Caws, Victoria Carruthers, and Kate Conley contribute essays to the volume, offering insights into Tanning's artistic process and influences. Additionally, the catalog reproduces Tanning's 1986 essay "To Paint," a poetic and impassioned manifesto on painting and Surrealism. The title of the catalog is taken from the final line of this essay.

Dorothea Tanning's work is characterized by its exploration of the subconscious and the feminine psyche. She often depicted surreal and dreamlike scenes, often featuring female figures and animals in mysterious and unsettling settings. Tanning's use of color and texture was also notable, with her paintings often featuring bold and vibrant hues that evoke a sense of magic and wonder.

Throughout her career, Tanning received numerous awards and honors, including a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1962 and the National Medal of Arts in 1999. She was also the subject of numerous retrospective exhibitions, including a major retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art in New York in 2007.

In conclusion, Dorothea Tanning's remarkable body of work is a testament to her talent and dedication as an artist. Her unique vision and innovative approach to painting have left an indelible mark on the art world, and her legacy continues to inspire and influence artists today. This fully illustrated catalog provides a comprehensive exploration of her artistic career, showcasing her most significant works and providing insights into her creative process.

Weight: 739g
Dimension: 290 x 236 x 13 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781947232983