Ardent Nature

A fascinating, unprecedented exploration of nature's crucial role in establishing the truly unique voice of influential artist Arshile Gorky. Ardent Nature: Arshile Gorky Landscapes, 1943–47 is the first book to explore nature’s central role in establishing the singular voice of this truly pioneering figure in abstract expressionism. In the early 1940s, Gorky turned to nature as a primary subject matter, inspired by his summers spent in Connecticut and rural Virginia. The resulting works from this career-defining period, filled with a bold use of color, line and composition, and infused with an explosive expressive freedom, are some of the most evocative works of Gorky’s career. Featuring over 50 landscapes from this period, including paintings and works on paper, the book opens with a personal foreword from the artist’s granddaughter (and the show’s curator). The book continues with an essay from Edith Devaney, curator of the celebrated 2016 Abstract Expressionism show at the Royal Academy of Art in London, which traces the development of the Armenian-American artist’s passion and instinct for art along the arc of his career, highlighting key links to Cubism, Surrealism and Abstract Expressionism.