Explosions of Energy Near the Sun 50 Billion Years B.C.
- Vance Kirkland, American, 1904-1981
- Born: Convoy, OH
- Work Locations: Denver, CO
Vance Kirkland, Explosions of Energy Near the Sun 50 Billion Years B.C., 1978. Oil paint and water on linen; 75 x 100 in. Denver Art Museum: Gift of Vance H. and Anne O. Kirkland, 1982.557. © Estate of Vance Kirkland
Vance Kirkland was a major figure in the Colorado art scene for over 50 years. For the first half of his painting career Kirkland was a water colorist, painting landscapes and scenes from nature. In 1953, he moved on to experiment with new materials and techniques—including his exploration into the possibilities of mixing water with oil paint to achieve glowing abstract surfaces.
His space paintings, from the last half of his career, do not come from scientific data or the telescope; they are his own interpretations of the sublime energy of universal forces such as heat, fire, exploding stars, and the great mysteries of space. “I am trying to paint something I do not know exists in a tangible way,” he said. “If I am looking at space, who is going to say it never existed? It has existed in my mind.”
- "Retrospectacle: 25 Years of Collecting Modern and Contemporary Art"--Denver Art Museum, 11/16/2002 - 8/3/2003
- "Earth and Fire"--Denver Art Museum, 6/11/2011 - 6/5/2011
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