DC Moore Gallery Features George Tooker Exhibit

George Tooker: Reality Returns as a Dream celebrates the life and art of a painter whose powerful imagery and technical mastery made him one of the most acclaimed artists of his generation. For over sixty years, Tooker (1920-2011) has been highly regarded for his luminous and often enigmatic paintings. His themes range from alienation and the dehumanizing aspects of contemporary society to personal meditations on the human condition. Over the course of his long career, he created fewer than 170 paintings, most of which are seldom on public view. As such, this exhibition offers a rare opportunity to see a select group of works from museums, private collections, and the artist's estate that span his career, from the late 1940s to the 2000s.

A deeply spiritual and contemplative man, Tooker created hauntingly beautiful modernist works through an intuitive artistic process combined with a precise and deliberate technique. "My pictures start on a fairly unconscious level," he explained, and while his work is essentially representational, he felt that he was more involved in creating abstractions than in depicting reality. He was not interested in rendering events or documenting life, but was after the essence of experience. In doing so, he chose a timeless method to pursue his purpose. He preferred working in egg tempera, a traditional Renaissance medium that produces a rich, lustrous finish yet demands focused attention and exacting execution. His figures, too, often embody classical sensibilities even when they are placed in contemporary settings.

Gallery Talk Thursday, June 9, 6:30PM: Curators Robert Cozzolino (Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts) and Marshall Price (National Academy Museum), organizers of George Tooker: A Retrospective (2009), discuss Tooker's art and life. Artist Kurt Kauper will moderate the discussion. Please RSVP by June 7th: 212-247-2111.

Upcoming Exhibitions:
Eric Aho September 8 - October 8
Barbara Takenaga October 13 - November 12
Alexi Worth October 13 - November 12

DC Moore Gallery specializes in contemporary and twentieth-century art. The gallery is located at
535 West 22nd Street, 2nd Floor and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 to 6. Beginning
the week of July 3rd summer hours are Monday to Friday, 10 to 6. Press previews can be
arranged prior to the exhibition. For more information, for photographs, or to arrange a viewing,
please call Kate Weinstein at 212-247-2111.