Close looking at abstract art | Olga Albizu's 900-50-80
Speaker: Dr. Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank
Looking at abstract art
How should we understand an abstract painting like Olga Albizu’s 900-50-80 from 1978?
If we look closely at Albizu's painting, we notice fascinating color choices and application of the paint itself. In this video that practices the skill of close looking, we also think about the choices that Albizu made to create this colorful, abstract painting. We at ARTSQ think close looking is really important!
Olga Albizu, 900-50-80, 1978. Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, San Juan. Photo: © Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank
Who was Olga Albizu?
Born in Puerto Rico, Albizu began her career in Puerto Rico, but eventually moved to New York City. She spent time studying under artists like Hans Hoffman there, before also studying in Paris, France, and Florence, Italy. She’d return to New York City, and her abstract expressionist paintings became well-known for gracing the covers of bossa nova albums made by RCA and Verve Records. How cool is that?! In art history, close looking is the first step in doing something called a formal analysis, which is an analysis of things like the elements of art and the principles of design. If you’ve ever wondered how to do a formal analysis, our close looking series offers an excellent first step.
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