The sharp, solitary eye of Sonia Gechtoff
about 3 months ago (01/28/2024)
The sharp, solitary eye of Sonia Gechtoff – Two Coats of Paint Sonia Gechtoff, Untitled , 1986, acrylic and graphite on paper mounted to linen, 38 1/4 × 46 inches Contributed by Natasha Sweeten / The contemplative works of Ukrainian American artist Sonia Gechtoff (born in Philadelphia 1926, died in NYC 2018), now on view at Bortolami and Andrew Kreps Gallery, range from the 1960s to early 2000s, but for me they evoke the frontality of Russian iconography , the dynamism of Italian Futurism , and the fractal abstractions of Sonia Delaunay. Gechtoff was fond of muted primary colors and variations of white and black, and her palette is deliberate and often subdued. Delicate graphite hatch marks spill across painted areas, suggesting movement and depth while presenting isolated instances from curious vantage points.