Studio
Of all the art in Pop at Chesterwood, this work is perhaps the most closely related to the series of collages based on Massachusetts architecture that Danny O produced prior to his involvement with Chesterwood. Dozens of structures such as Fenway Park and the Prudential Center, views such as Boston’s skyline and Main Street in Stockbridge, and the landmark Swan paddleboats of Boston’s Public Garden have been his subjects. In each picture of his Boston to the Berkshires series, Danny O captures the character of the place with bold, flat forms and bright colors. As one can see in Studio, they also sustain a closer examination that reveals subtle patterns and suggests varied textures.
Studio pictures French’s workplace designed in 1897 by architect Henry Bacon at the peak of a Berkshire summer’s brief glory. The flat shapes of the walls, roof, and north-light windows echo the rigid geometry of the building, while the irregular forms and profusion of color in the Border Garden flank the fountain on axis with the Straight Walk and Studio entrance. Danny O’s colorful paean to his predecessor’s summer studio captures the perfect blend of building and gardens that French nurtured and enjoyed for three decades. |
