Jenny Morgan - 20th Century & Contemporary Art: Online Auction, New York New York Monday, March 11, 2024 | Phillips

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  • Kindred, 2008, is a prominent example of Jenny Morgan’s emotionally charged paintings. Two nude women stand side by side, engaged in a soft embrace. The figures gaze out at the viewer with an unwavering intensity. The lack of setting emphasizes the intimacy of the work, directing the entirety of viewers’ attention to the women.

     

    Upon closer inspection, areas of what appear to be rashes become apparent. Pinpoint splotches of red and white dot the figures, prompting viewers to wonder whether they are depictions of skin conditions or scratches. These surface inconsistencies are manifestations of Morgan’s craft and preparation.

     

    Detail of the present work

     

    After painting her subjects, Morgan sands down the surface of the work, revealing meticulously layered undercoats of red paint and sometimes reaching the white gesso. Her abrasions serve to unite the painting and the image it depicts, revealing the “flesh” of both at once. This infuses the work with another level of intimacy, as both the figures and the painting itself bear open wounds.

     

    The sense of closeness that permeates Morgan’s oeuvre is heightened by the fact that she only paints people who she knows personally. She notes the importance of the relationships she has with her subjects, stating that it often leads to "deep conversations" and "profound emotional spaces."i The present lot exhibits Morgan's ability to convey this emotional depth through corporeal studies.

     

    i Jenny Morgan, quoted in Doug Prillen and Evan Pricco, "Jenny Morgan: A Quiet Reappearance," Juxtapoz, March 31, 2020, online

    • Provenance

      Plus Gallery, Denver
      Acquired from the above by the present owner

    • Exhibited

      New York, Like the Spice Gallery, Jenny Morgan: Abrasions, January 9–February 8, 2009

107

Kindred

signed and titled "Jenny Morgan "Kindred" Jenny Morgan "Kindred" Jenny Morgan" on the overlap; signed "Jenny Morgan" on the stretcher
oil on canvas
62 1/8 x 44 1/4 in. (157.8 x 112.4 cm)
Painted in 2008.

Full Cataloguing

Estimate
$5,000 - 7,000 

Sold for $15,240

Contact Specialist

Katerina Blackwood
Associate Specialist, Head of Online Sales
20th Century & Contemporary Art
+1 212 940 1248
KBlackwood@phillips.com
 

20th Century & Contemporary Art: Online Auction, New York

11 - 20 March 2024