A Feel for the Ever-Changing Seasons
Alex Katz’s latest exhibition at MoMA, "Seasons," envelops visitors in a vibrant exploration of nature’s cyclical beauty. This series of four monumental paintings captures the essence of spring, summer, fall, and winter, immersing viewers in the dynamic colors and shifting landscapes that define Katz’s artistic vision in the latter stage of his career.
A distinctive feature of Katz’s approach is his omission of horizon lines, a departure from traditional landscape painting. This technique, combined with the large scale of his works, creates an illusion of boundless environments, pulling viewers into an expansive, uninterrupted landscape. Katz articulates this approach as pursuing "the sensation of color," aiming to evoke the immediate, visceral experience of seeing.
The paintings in "Seasons" are not static depictions but vibrant, living records of Katz’s interaction with nature. He often begins with capturing furtive moments with his phone camera or through small sketches, drawing inspiration from his immediate surroundings. For instance, "Autumn 5" was inspired by a solitary tree on Houston street around his downtown New York studio, while "Winter Tree 1" captures a stark winter scene from the same neighborhood. "Spring" and "Summer 21," on the other hand, draw from sketches made in Maine, where he has spent his summers since 1954, encapsulating the lush, verdant beauty of the season.
His creative process is then both intuitive and rapid, transforming these instants from memory into large-scale compositions. Remarkably, he frequently completes a painting in a single morning, describing his process as “hold your breath and hope for the best"! This spontaneity is reflected in the dynamic energy of his brushstrokes, particularly evident in his use of a six-inch brush to create sweeping, gestural lines that convey a sense of motion and immediacy.
In recent interviews, Katz has shared insights into his routine, humorously summarizing it as "paint and sleep." At 97 years old, his dedication to capturing the fleeting beauty of the natural world remains undiminished.
Alex Katz’s "Seasons" on view at MoMA until September 8th 2024
