Philip Guston Small Oils 1969-1973 at MCKEE GALLERY .wmv

James Kalm is delighted to bring viewers along for a holiday stroll through this exhibition of small works by one of New Yorks most influential painters. Executed during a five year period while Guston was developing his Hooded Figure and Roma series, these pieces show the concentration and focus the artists was bringing to his return to figuration. Divided in to four categories, single objects, hoods, cityscapes and studio interiors, these small pictures retain their power despite their small size, and bare testament to the high regard Guston maintains among young contemporary painters.

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• McKee
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• abstraction
• expressionism
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[jahuyser]

Thanks James. Weird to see this show as I am in an exhibition being jurored by Jeff Mays from the McKee Gallery as we speak.  I just wanted to say that I find it amazing how much some of these pieces relate to the work of Morandi. When I was in nyc last year and saw the Morandi show I kept thinking of Guston. I wonder if Morandi was part of what spurred Guston to make his final shift.

[jameskalm]

Hey jahuyser,

as I understand it, Guston went to Rome (perhaps on a Prix de Rome) and became infatuated with Morandi, as well as some other lesser known Italian painters from the Metaphysical movement.. I think it was Morandi's tonal style that most influenced him.

[claureic]

It is true that they remind Morandi by their size and sometimes imagery, but I don't think it goes beyond that. The one Italian who really influenced Guston all his life was De Chirico. He kept a Chirico book next to his bed...

[jameskalm]

And I think De Chirico's brother Alberto Savinio, who is much lesser known but was important to many of the "TransAvant-Garde" painters.

[claureic]

James, again my humble thanks. They didn't do a catalogue, so I didn't have any remembrance of this fantastic show. I will treasure this video. I am so grateful that you did that!

[jameskalm]

Thanks for reminding me. I loved the retrospective at the Met several years ago and wish I'd have recorded some of that, but...

[quintincollins]

With so much discussion about Italian influence in Guston's work, check out the recent book 'Phillip Guston: Roma'. Great tangent on his late paintings I hadn't seen before.

[claureic]

@JeffersonDinedAlone A tiny painting on a huge white wall, usually you don't see the painting. It is devoured by the wall. Maybe you saw the 2009 Elizabeth Peyton show at the New Museum?The tiny Peyton paintings were like swallowed by the museum walls . Now, this didn't happen with this Guston panel: I saw it on its own, hanging on a very large white wall, and the only thing you saw was the painting:glowing, powerful, mesmerizing. The colors, the thickness of that tiny white square...

[JeffersonDinedAlone]

@claureic You stood in awe looking at that? Why?

[quintincollins]

@jahuyser yeah, I can see what you mean --- Morandi's brush work, the grayed out palette, the horizon and the way objects are lined up --- there are similarities.

[IDOLODORO2]

thanx to you i get to visit th fuller bldg in my underwear --- wonderful pictures by P GUSTON a great poet in paint

[claureic]

Just to give you an idea how people who own these small panels treasure them: the last one, at 7.52, I saw it in the owner's apartment...It hangs by itself on a huge white wall, with nothing else on that wall, and you just stand in awe staring at it...

[ALTHEGREAT101]

i AM A SUPER BIGTIME GUSTON FAN AND ONLY JUST DISCOVERED THIS VIDEO, WHICH I LOVE; NOW IT IS MY FAVORITE THANKS JAMES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[durgaman]

Thank you, James. Next best thing to being there.