About Clyfford Still's art work and his museum in Denver - Essay Example

Clyfford Still: Art Work and Museum in Denver Contemporary art bases its roots since time immemorial. It is has been shaped by many artists throughout the years, and influenced by those whose impacts in artwork have left unshaken legacies. Clyfford Still is an influential in art, specifically in abstract expressionism. Born in 1904, Clyfford Still grew to become one of the most renowned American painters. His interest in fine shaped his career, placing his art work at the fore front among other abstract expressionists.

His interactions and relations with art work interpreters, critics and historians were not smooth in the line of his paintings. He is, therefore seen to have created an art work world of his own, due to the fact that most his work remained hidden during and after his death in the year 1980.Clyfford Still’s art work was mainly color field painting. Most of the works that he made accessible are regarded non-figurative, and consequently non-objective. Creation and painting of formations dominated his expertise, the primary concern being to juxtapose numerous colors and surfaces to produce the formations (Demetrion 75).

His independence and disregard for criticism and analysis of his work left just a few aspects of comparison between his work and those of his fellow abstract expressionism pioneers. Basically, the arrangements of his paintings were considerably less regular, unlike those of other abstract expressionists.Thick impasto critically defines the use of paints by Clyfford Still in his art work. Layers of colors in his works were done in a way that seemed to reveal colors underneath by other layers on the painting.

Subtle varieties and shimmering shades characterized Clyfford Still’s painting surfaces, with natural forms and phenomena being predominant in his work (Demetrion 94). This was unique to him as an artist, because many other painters of his times concentrated on a totally different aspect. Clyfford Still imposed collection and exhibition restrictions on his paintings, making his art work hardly accessible to many people, although his 1957-D No. 1, 1957 painting remains a renowned piece of his art (Demetrion 113).

Around 2400 pieces of his art work remained hidden and inaccessible until the Clyfford Still’s museum was opened in Denver. With the museum opening over twenty five years after his death, Clyfford Still’s substantial art output remained unseen for the same period. Denver, Colorado became the choice of Still’s wife as the city that would showcase Clyfford Still’s long hidden art work.The museum officially opened in November, the year 2011, operating as a non-profit making organization.

The museum is has no affiliate parties, meaning that it is independent. Art work by Clyfford Still that remained hidden during and after his death is now available for display and access to the public and scholarly parties. The museum only hosts Clyfford Still’s works, and does not loan or sell any of the collections therein (167). This is attributed to the wishes of Clyfford Still, that even ruled out the presence if restaurants and/or auditorium in the museum. The display of Clyfford Still’s art work in the museum is done chronologically.

Works CitedDemetrion, James. Clyfford Still: Paintings, 1944-1960. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2001.