Page 163 - Trends

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Newman’s Flags
David was serious, classic and austere.
And then, whimsical, mischievous, humble
and generous. I should know. I spent 55
years as his companion, muse, mother
of his daughters and grandmother to his
grandchildren.
Visitors to this house find the variety of
images tantalizing and comment on the
diversity. The regular visitor will soon
establish links and get to recognize a
Newman. He will see the filiations of each
painting.
Given the opportunity to comment upon his
works, and basing some of my remarks on
our conversations over the years, I know
I can prove that the itinerary I had the
privilege to accompany – except for the first
five years – reveals a parallelism, despite
tremendous differences in moods, subjects,
as well as techniques and media – a spiral,
an upside down cone, the opposite of the
linear – or “wall-to-wall” consistency which
characterize many great artists’ journeys – to
Picasso’s diversity. David did not hesitate,
now and then, to change direction, and
proceeded on many alleys. In both the urge
to explore new terrain that led then to rapid
turns or the gradual evolution of one idea.
In the 1950’s, David created a sculpture called
the “Echo of War”, a rather expressionist bust
of one whose triangular face leans in deep
sorrow, indicating David’s early commitment
to art with a social message, sympathy for
the sufferers, and yearning for peace.
 FLAg 35, 2003 OIL On CAnVAs 40x32 In. The Flags and Towers series of Oils on
Canvas have origins way before this period.
TOWers 9, 2002 OIL On CAnVAs 42x28 In. 
Within the standard-sized 22x30” piles of
TOWers 10, 2002 OIL On CAnVAs 60x36 In. 
watercolors, we find Circle and Rectangle.
 TOWers 17, 2002 OIL On CAnVAs 60x36 In.
Determined Space which often indicates a
geometric area within which some design
 FLAg 29, 2003 OIL On CAnVAs 42x28 In. occurs, we find spirals, triangles as well as
 FLAg 26, 2003 OIL On CAnVAs 28x42 In. cubes and so on… even the use of Dots
 FLAg 20, 2003 OIL On CAnVAs 40x32 In. within this series has much earlier roots.
 FLAg 27, 2003 OIL On CAnVAs 40x32 In. There is a definite playfulness in many of his