Experience Danielle Orchard’s profound sense of storytelling at the Tamarind Institute in Albuquerque. An opening reception and curator tour will take place on Friday, August 23.
Danielle Orchard: Tender Observer
opening + curator tour: Friday, August 23, 5-7 pm
Tamarind Institute, Albuquerque
Join Tamarind Institute for the opening reception for Danielle Orchard: Tender Observer. The exhibition showcases work made by Orchard at Tamarind Institute from 2019 to 2022. Each collaboration is marked by subtle shifts in color and nuanced approaches to mark-making, reflecting Orchard’s deepening engagement with the medium. Every work in the exhibition marks a specific moment in Orchard’s life, celebrating the inspirations that fueled her during each residency. This intimate connection between the artist’s experiences and her work imbues Tender Observer with a profound sense of storytelling and emotional resonance. During her most recent residency at Tamarind, Orchard’s studio practice heavily featured the use of charcoal, a medium that profoundly influenced works such as Bathers, New Windows, Still Life with Pizza, and Still Life with Cherries. The absence of color allowed the artist to concentrate on volume and light, employing the sharp contours of cubism while challenging classical notions of the muse.
Throughout her work, Orchard complicates traditional portrayals of women as passive objects of desire. Her sculpturally formed figures are often depicted from unexpected angles, unposed and unguarded. These bold figures advance the forms of 20th-century modernism and are placed into the ambiance of 21st-century life. In her 2019 lithograph Picnic Scene, the figure echoes the familiar art historical motif of the reclining nude, drawing inspiration from Picasso, Matisse, Georges de La Tour, and Balthus. With a disruptive approach, she integrates their visual language to reclaim the nude female figure through her contemporary perspective. Rather than avoiding sexuality to sidestep objectification, Orchard’s figures assert their autonomy. Her scenes, domestic and languorous in tone, depict women in repose and continually pose subtle questions about viewership, voyeurism, and the artistic ownership of the female form. By repositioning the female figure as a contemporary entity, detached from the constraints of the male gaze, Orchard breathes fresh life into the portrayal of women in art.
Join Tamarind for a curator walk-through during the opening reception on Friday, August 23 at 5:30 pm! The exhibition will remain on view through December 20, 2024.
The opening of Tender Observer marks the beginning of new gallery hours. Moving forward, the gallery will welcome visitors Tuesday through Friday, from 10 am to 5 pm. For collectors interested in a more personalized experience, private print viewings are available by appointment. By scheduling a session, you can delve into the Tamarind’s extensive collection of lithographs, discovering hidden gems from the flat files. A private print viewing is a wonderful way to experience Tamarind and our long print publishing history. You are encouraged to explore the Tamarind website for a preview of the works available for viewing.
tamarind.unm.edu
instagram / facebook
sponsored by
