Menu
In our third video highlighting the ‘other voices’ in 100 Years: The Group of Seven and Other Voices, we look at the work of Kathleen Munn. Now recognized as a pioneer of modern art in Canada, we learn that Munn in her own lifetime was on the periphery of the Canadian art scene.
‘100 Years: The Group of Seven and Other Voices’ is organized by the Art Gallery of Alberta, and curated by Danielle Siemens. Presented by Capital Powered Art, an exhibition series sponsored by Capital Power.In our third video highlighting the ‘other voices’ in 100 Years: The Group of Seven and Other Voices, we look at the work of Kathleen Munn. Now recognized as a pioneer of modern art in Canada, we learn that Munn in her own lifetime was on the periphery of the Canadian art scene. …
Chapters
View all
Introduction
Introduction
0:00
Introduction
0:00
Abstract Painting
Abstract Painting
1:05
Abstract Painting
1:05
Conclusion
Conclusion
2:08
Conclusion
2:08
Use CTRL+F to find key words if it is a longer transcript.
Introduction
0:00
[Music]
0:13
in the next part of our tour of 100
0:15
years the group of seven and other
0:16
voices
0:17
we’re going to look at a painting by
0:19
kathleen munn
0:20
today mun is recognized as a pioneer of
0:23
modern art in canada
0:24
but in her own lifetime she really
0:27
remained on the periphery of the
0:28
canadian art scene
0:31
now she studied in toronto was born and
0:33
raised there
0:34
but was uninterested in its conservative
0:37
art scene
0:38
so she went abroad to study in new york
0:41
and in europe
0:42
to learn about modernist international
0:45
styles
0:46
she was particularly influenced by the
0:48
writings of jay hambridge
0:50
and his theory of dynamic symmetry she
0:53
applied his theories to her paintings
0:56
of people and of animals using a
0:58
mathematical grid
1:00
to make her paintings more energetic
1:02
dynamic and engaging
1:04
when she returned to canada she was
Abstract Painting
1:06
working in an abstract mode and her
1:08
paintings are considered some of the
1:10
first
1:10
completely abstract works in the country
1:14
this painting for example is a really
1:17
good example of her signature style
1:19
using
1:19
expressive colors and geometric shapes
1:23
she takes a common subject matter such
1:25
as horses
1:26
and renders them in a really
1:28
experimental way breaking the background
1:30
into planes of color
1:32
and abstracting the scene of nature
1:36
she actually exhibited this painting in
1:38
the 1928 group of seven exhibition
1:41
and it was later purchased by another
1:43
early abstractionist
1:44
bertram brooker who also has a work in
1:46
this exhibition
1:48
he was interested in the relationship
1:50
between music and painting
1:52
and called this painting one of mun’s
1:54
most musical
1:56
its title is composition which gives us
1:59
a sense of music
2:01
a formal exploration like in musical
2:04
combination
2:05
compositions or studies
Conclusion
2:08
while she exhibited with a group of
2:09
seven a few times she was rather
2:11
uninterested in their nationalistic
2:13
preoccupations and was more interested
2:16
in aligning herself with international
2:18
modernism
2:19
by the early 1940s with a lack of
2:22
recognition in her work
2:23
and the dominance of the group of seven
2:25
she really turned away from painting
2:29
[Music]
2:34
entirely
2:41
you
No results found