11 Art Shows to See in Washington, DC, This Fall
By Murat Cem Mengüç, Hyperallergic
October 10, 2023
The last retrospective of Jacob Kainen’s work took place in 1993, during which he was interviewed by the Washington Post and referred to himself as a “fatalist.” He expressed indifference towards the prospect of dying as a relatively unknown painter, despite leaving behind a substantial body of work that many knew of. In that same interview, he predicted that his work would be discovered in the 2020s. Hemphill Artworks, which represents Kainen’s estate, periodically showcases his work in solo exhibitions, contributing to the realization of that prediction...The exhibition primarily features his large abstract paintings from the 1970s and 1980s, in addition to a few smaller pieces from the 1950s.
Art and the City: New, Retrospective and 11 Go Solo
By Phil Hutinet, HillRag
October 3, 2023
The exhibition [at Hemphill] commences with a selection of paintings from 1951 and 1953, accompanied by a series of paintings on paper that illuminate the rapid evolution of Kainen’s innovative abstract style. Notably the masterpiece “Mr. Kafka” (1970) draws its creative impulse from suspended clothing, crafting a compelling representation of the human form. This composition became a recurring motif, revisited by Kainen in various sketches and etchings. Throughout the ensuing decades, particularly the 1970s and 1980s, Kainen navigated between periods of lyrical and geometric abstraction, employing meticulous layering techniques to craft compositions that evoke ethereal, floating elements.
In the galleries: Abstract works reflect artist’s years of progression
By Mark Jenkins, The Washington Post
October 13, 2023
The Jacob Kainen paintings now on view at Hemphill Artworks date from 1952 to 1988, yet altogether skip the 1960s. The Washington artist (1909-2001) is known as an abstractionist, but he devoted much of that decade to representational work. Only hints of that interest are visible in this selection, which consists principally of 1980s color-field paintings. Their forms can be either loose or precisely geometric, but their colors are always softly layered and seemingly weathered.
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