These are some of Georgia O’Keeffe’s lesser-known works. I first encountered one of O’Keeffe’s urban landscapes at Vassar’s Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center (link to the painting here), and I didn’t even recognize it as an O’Keeffe until I read the wall label. These works are such a jarring variation from her usual natural subjects (flower vaginas ftw) — especially the Vassar painting, which is particularly industrial. The above works, however, definitely have distinct O’Keeffe elements. I think the most O’Keeffe-y element is not the flowers in the second work, but the painterly smoke in the middle right portion of the bottom work. I would love to delve more deeply into this topic, and research Georgia O’Keeffe’s time in New York more thoroughly, but I am off to visit my parents in a few minutes.

Still, I ran across all three of the above works randomly in the past few days, and I couldn’t help but appreciate how she captured New York. Sometimes it is intimidating, dark, and lonely. Sometimes it is colorful, almost a fairytale. And every night it lights up and makes for the most amazing view. Cheesy ending for ya.

Non cheesy ending: if you rip off this idea for a paper or curatorial project, I want full credit you cheap bastards. Also, email your project to me because I would like to read it.

C.C.B.B.