by Jeffrey Carlson
With his smart still life painting, Guy Diehl pays homage to Corot, Picasso, and a host of other important artists in a thoughtful way.
Guy Diehl | Still Life with Corot, 2011 | Acrylic on canvas | 27 x 31 inches
Dolby Chadwick Gallery in San Francisco debuts an intriguing solo exhibition of works by established artist Guy Diehl next week. Guy Diehl: A Dialogue With Tradition opens on September 5, with an artist's reception that evening from 5:30-7:30, and it will remain on display until September 28.
Guy Diehl | Still Life with Robert Delaunay #2, 2013 | Acrylic on canvas | 21 x 32 inches
Guy Diehl | Still Life with Picasso (100 Years of Modernism 1913 - 2013), 2013 | Acrylic on canvas | 26 x 34 inches
Whatever artist features in the center of his compositions, Diehl encourages thoughtful consideration of that artist's achievement in addition to Diehl's own. Often accompanying the reproduction are books on the lives of the artist or the movement of which they were a part. In this way, Diehl draws intellectual connections between each of the objects within the painting and suggests a conceptual link between his own practice and that of the artist featured.
Guy Diehl | Still Life with Bill Traylor, 2012 | Acrylic on canvas | 20 x 30 inches
Surrounding the reproductions and print volumes that distinguish Diehl's paintings, the artist has placed groups of bottles and geometric objects, such as boxes and spheres. The illusionistic detail Diehl achieves is remarkable, and the formal interaction among the objects pictured piques visual interest. Carefully placed highlights and shadows, playing across the surfaces of objects, foreground, and background, enhance the sense of realism.
Guy Diehl | Conversation with Francisco Zurbaran, 2013 | Acrylic on canvas | 20 x 40 inches
This article was featured in Fine Art Today, a new weekly e-newsletter from Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine.