Charles Burchfield: Ecstatic Light

Charles E. Burchfield: Ecstatic Light features a group of recently rediscovered large-scale works by Charles Ephraim Burchfield (1893-1967) that represents the most ambitious direction that he ever took in painting. The majority of these watercolor works are composite constructions in which Burchfield collaged earlier paintings or parts of paintings into much larger, grander compositions. Literally patching his past into his present, Burchfield reoriented the original nucleus into extended surrounds of additional strips of paper on which his painted and drawn elements significantly expand his original conception. Burchfield’s composite works provide profound insight into what was for him a continual effort to confront and realize his own evolving artistic future.

Exhibited in public for the first time since they were created in his studio, these works all share “an ecstatic light,” says Nancy Weekly, “that could convince everyone to respect and revere every aspect of the earth and sky, from dandelions to the North Star.” Weekly, who is Head of Collections and the Charles Cary Rumsey Curator of the Burchfield-Penney Art Center, wrote the essay for the exhibition catalogue. She traces both conceptual and technical developments in Burchfield’s methodology that led to such bold paintings.

The DC Moore Gallery, located on the 8th floor of 724 Fifth Avenue at 57th Street in New York City, organized this exhibition in collaboration with the Burchfield-Penney Art Center. It premiered at the DC Moore Gallery April 25 through June 22, 2007 and traveled to the Burchfield-Penney Art Center in Buffalo, New York for presentation from July 14 to September 23, 2007.  A preview reception for museum members was held on Friday, July 13 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.