Blossom
Although abstract, Blossom contains multiple allusions to the natural world and its life cycles. The colors and lines evoke organic materials and generative processes, as does the verdant background, which, like the work’s frame, was chosen by the artist. Tuttle used the stem of a plant to create thick, irregular black markings that contrast with the thin vertical and curving lines framing the glowing yellow circle and irregularly shaped red form. Light seems to emanate from the center and radiate throughout the composition. Tuttle explores interactions of unconventional forms and often humble materials, and engages with both overlooked support systems (such as the mat and frame) and the ways in which his art is displayed.
Artwork Details
- Title: Blossom
- Artist: Richard Tuttle (American, born Rahway, New Jersey, 1941)
- Publisher: Gemini G.E.L. (American, Los Angeles, founded 1966)
- Date: 2017
- Medium: Etching in four colors with chine collé and red pen addition by the artist
- Dimensions: Sheet: 22 × 11 in. (55.9 × 27.9 cm)
- Classification: Prints
- Credit Line: John B. Turner Fund, 2018
- Object Number: 2018.47
- Rights and Reproduction: © Richard Tuttle
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
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