Color, Myth, and Music: Stanton Macdonald-Wright and Synchromism, LACMA Press Release 2001 August 5 through October 28, 2001, 1973, 1950s
Modernist to Ancient Sage
"In the final decades of his life, Stanton Macdonald-Wright revisited his beloved Synchromism, incorporating his life experience, his belief in Eastern philosophy, and a deep understanding of Japanese and Chinese art. These later synchromies, such as Liaison intime (Intimacy), 1955, reveal the subtle influence of Asian aesthetics on the design and color harmonies of his by now famous abstractions. Until his death in 1973 he continued to paint, exhibit, and write prolifically. In fact, Macdonald-Wright insisted that his later synchromies were imbued with a more vital, spiritual life than his more recognized early masterpieces. He traveled extensively, often to Asia. During these years, Macdonald-Wright transformed his self-image from maverick modernist to ancient sage.
"He lived in Santa Monica for much of his life, though he decamped to an apartment on Pontius Avenue in Westwood for a while, and later bought a house in Pacific Palisades. Until his death in 1973 he continued to paint, exhibit, and write prolifically and traveled frequently, usually to Asia.
"Always an iconoclast, Macdonald-Wright set out on a singular road as a boy and never wavered. Self-educated, astonishingly self-confident, contrary, he not only created a diverse, singular and influential body of work, he changed the course of American art.
"Although Macdonald-Wright's place in the history of American art was secure and remained recorded in histories about early modernism, the full breadth of his work has been virtually ignored. Three earlier retrospectives have been devoted to the artist (1956, Los Angeles County Museum; 1967, National Collection of Fine Arts; and 1970, Wight Gallery, UCLA); however, this exhibition will present the first balanced and comprehensive examination of his life's work. It will demonstrate not only the creativity of Synchromism, but also Macdonald-Wright's crucial role in the dissemination of modernism in Los Angeles. Featuring more than 50 important oil paintings, a wealth of archival material including an original copy of Macdonald-Wright's 1924 Treatise on Color (of which only 60 copies were published), catalogues from important exhibitions featuring and organized by Macdonald-Wright, rare photographs of the artist and contemporaries, and a selection of rare prints and works on paper, this exhibition presents a long-overdue acknowledgment of an artist whose achievements and aspirations established him as an early modern master and inspired several generations of artists."