George Tooker

George Tooker (1920-2011) Reality Returns As A dream: Memorial Exhibition DC Moore Gallery June9-August 5 2011 

 

See this show if you are in New York City.  I knew I would like this exhibition, because I’ve always loved Tooker. He was a favorite of mine as a teenager, and I was not disappointed. Many of his more familiar works are here including “Subway” and “Landscape with Figures”. The exhibit is more like a mini museum show since most of the works are from museum and private collections with very few works as far as I could tell for sale. Also on view in the smaller gallery is “An Intimate Circle” which includes the work of Paul Cadmus, Jared French, Margaret French, George Platt Lynes and Tooker. Included are paintings, drawings and photographs by this gay tight knit group of artists and friends. This period of American art has always been fascinating to me, and I can easily recommend a very good book on these artists by David Leddick entitled “Intimate Companions. A Triography of George Platt Lynes, Paul Cadmus, Lincoln Kirstein and Their Circle”. Easily one of the best exhibitions of the year.