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Eleanor Aldrich
IRONING - texturized lenticular painting, optical illusion, geometric abstract

2020

About the Item

"In these works, Aldrich paints on surfaces that have been covered in uniform vertical strips of caulk. The textures don’t play into the subjects of these paintings so much as create a consistent 3D pattern across the whole surface of a wood panel covered with canvas. Two of the most interesting works in this style give us graphic renderings of domestic interiors laid out in blocks of color and elemental shapes. 'Kitchen Sink' and 'Ironing' depict counters, faucets and ironing boards through a distorted perspective that’s unnervingly deep and narrow, vertiginous and claustrophobic. The caulk brings lots of texture to these works, and Aldrich’s paint appears to be applied in chromatic washes of yellow, pink and blue that seem serene given their off-kilter surroundings. In fact, Aldrich uses the repeating vertical textures to create vividly colored lenticular illusions in these works, which only reveal themselves as viewers move past the paintings. In addition to their formal qualities and their narrative content, Aldrich’s works also comment on traditional gender roles in Western society. Her narrative portraits are mostly inspired by the covers of Nancy Drew novels. Drew, the “girl detective” who first appeared in print as a female counterpart to the Hardy Boys’ detective stories, was independent, strong-willed and adventurous — a genuine action hero for young girls. Aldrich’s portraits capture similarly feisty sleuths in silicone, caulking and enamel paint, which Aldrich applies using grouting tools. In short, the artist uses the kind of traditionally masculine materials and tools you’d find at a hardware store to paint a young feminist hero. The relationship between materials and subjects is repeated in Aldrich’s lenticular domestic scenes, where the trappings and settings of “women’s work” are rendered with “masculine” materials. This thoughtful contrast between subjects and the stuff they’re made of brings a conceptual depth to these works that might be overlooked given their arresting surfaces. Aldrich’s paintings are super stylized, but also smart in substance. And in the five years I’ve been watching her practice evolve, it’s only become more singular." -Excerpt from a review by art critic Joe Nolan
  • Creator:
    Eleanor Aldrich (American)
  • Creation Year:
    2020
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 24 in (60.96 cm)Width: 18 in (45.72 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Movement & Style:
  • Period:
  • Framing:
    Framing Options Available
  • Condition:
  • Gallery Location:
    Signal Mountain, TN
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU98517099302
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