Tuesday, March 7, 2017

Alice Neel. Collector of souls.

"Alice Neel (January 28, 1900 – October 13, 1984) was an American visual artist, who was particularly well known for oil painting and for her portraits depicting friends, family, lovers, poets, artists and strangers."

- Alice Neel:
“I have this overweening interest in humanity. Even if I’m not working I’m still analysing people.”

- Andrew Neel on ‘Alice Neel’ (Watch It Now FREE!) | IndieWire:
The American painter's troubled life fed into her disturbing, exhilarating portraits – of family, friends, artists and socialites.

- A Grandson Paints a Portrait of a Portraitist - The New York Times:
In November 1928, whilst living in the Bronx, Alice gave birth to her second child, a daughter, Isabella Lillian, who became known as Isabetta. It was around this time that problems appeared with regards Alice and Enrquez’s relationship. The couple had often planned to go to Paris but it had never happened. However, in May 1930 Enriquez, along with Isabetta, left America and travelled back to his parent’s home in Cuba. His idea was to leave his daughter with his parents whilst he returned to America, collected Alice and for them both to head off to France. Alice had agreed to the plan and had even sub-let their New York apartment and moved back in with her parents in Colwyn. She also found work at the art studio of her friends, Ethel Ashton and Rhoda Meyers. Everything seemed to be going to plan, but………

One sequence examines the mystery of Isabetta, who committed suicide in 1982, two years before her mother’s death.
They saw each other only three times after 1930; during the most extended visit, in 1934, Isabetta, then 6, posed naked for a portrait.
In the film her daughter, Cristina Lancella, a Cuban émigré who lives in Miami and has never met her uncles, complains bitterly about Isabetta’s abandonment.
Speaking of the portrait’s possibly damaging effect on her mother, she says: “I think it’s disgusting. I would never have my children naked like that.”

- Alice Neel. Part 1 – The early days | my daily art display:

- Alice Neel | Gemeentemuseum Den Haag:

- The weird world of Alice Neel | Art and design | The Guardian:

- https://www.nytimes.com/video/arts/1194817097801/a-portrait-of-a-painter.html

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