Known by many as an Abstract Expressionist, Ida Kohlmeyer was influenced by artists such as Hans Hofmann …show more content…
This piece uses mixed media on canvas to show a circus in a deconstructed style. It measures 49 inches by 49 inches and was created between 1990 and 1994.2 It commands the viewer’s attention with its use of childlike figures and vibrant colors. This piece is a great example of Kohlmeyer’s later works, and her stray from the extreme abstract into something more tangible and relatable. Her use of primary and secondary colors helps to convey the feeling of being at a circus: bright, whimsical, and nostalgic. The shapes that represent different aspects of the circus are almost primitive. Overall, the piece speaks to the child in everyone, sparking memories of fun with an undertone of excitement and fear; all feelings associated with being a child at a …show more content…
This piece shows Ida Kohlmeyer’s more popular style of painting. Its use of shapes and color fits in well with the rest of her “pictograph” style pieces. Personally, I enjoyed this piece because of the feelings it provoked inside of me. Because it has such a nostalgic feel, it is likely to provoke the same feelings in all of its viewers. While the subjects are still very abstract, I found myself justifying how all of these shapes could fit in with a circus theme. While these shapes are indistinguishable, they are still reasonably realistic, allowing the viewer to interpret each in their own