George Tooker died this week. You can read the New York Times obituary here. There’s also a wonderful short documentary that captures his gentle spirit here. And here‘s a short survey about the artist.
His work was evocative, awe inspiring, and it deeply affects those who explore it. He’s a part of the artistic lineage that I claim, particularly since I see myself as a symbolist.
““Symbolism can be limiting and dangerous, but I don’t care for art without it. The kind that appeals to me the most is a symbolism like a heraldic emblem, but never just that alone: the kind practiced by Paolo Uccello and Piero della Francesca.” – George Tooker
Sleep well.
George Tooker was a huge inspiration to me. I have viewed a lot of art, and there is so much that I find relevant across a large number of styles and genres, but Tookers work has been a constant from the time I first encountered it.