"Maxine Warren: The Universe in a Monotype" Highlights Oklahoma Modernist, Museum Collection

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

The Oklahoma State University Museum of Art is pleased to introduce Maxine Warren: The Universe in a Monotype, on view from Nov. 14 – Feb. 3.

The exhibition will showcase a selection of 20 monotype prints by under-recognized Oklahoma artist Maxine Warren (1927–2014). After completing an art degree at OSU in 1948 while studying under well-known regionalist Doel Reed, the Ponca City native went on to dedicate her art to abstraction.

Relying on her intuition, abstract painterly technique, and vivid color palette, Warren used her artwork to ponder universal truths, such as the redemptive power of love and optimism. Among the works on view, almost half are from a series inspired by the poetry of T.S. Eliot. Acting as a dialogue between Warren and the poet, the prints give visual forms to the themes found in the poetry.

Drawn from the OSU Museum of Art collection, Maxine Warren: The Universe in a Monotype not only helps establish Warren’s achievements, but also adds to our understanding of women artist’s contributions to postwar abstraction in the Southwest.

To celebrate the exhibition, an opening reception is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 14, from 5 to 7 pm. A curator’s talk begins at 6. The reception is free and open to the public, no RSVP required. The exhibition is organized by the OSU Museum of Art and curated by Tiffany Sides.