Painting In Solid Colors: Anne Truitt Exhibit Opens at Hirshhorn

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THE HIRSHHORN'S NEW SHOW, "Anne Truitt: Perception and Reflection," now open through Jan. 3, is the first major show of her work in 35 years, so there's a lot of new ground to cover. The artist, who died in 2004, was born in Baltimore and resided in the District, and associate curator Kristen Hileman said the area was important to Truitt.

"I think any artist … would want their work to be understood nationally and internationally, so it would be inaccurate to say that she's a 'local artist' or 'Washington artist,'" Hileman says.

"But she very intentionally chose to live and work in Washington, and you can see influences of the Eastern Shore in Maryland where she grew up. This area certainly influenced the colors and forms in her work and her path as an artist."

The exhibition is a survey of 2- and 3-D sculptures that Truitt made during her 50-year career, in which she studied proportion, scale and color. Hileman said Truitt "created a hybrid of painting and sculpture, and painting in three dimensions."

To kick off the show, there's a talk on Thursday at 7 p.m. about Truitt's career. Tim Gunn, chief creative officer at Liz Claiborne, "Project Runway" fixture and former student of Truitt's, will moderate a discussion among artist Martin Puryear, filmmaker Jem Cohen, photographer John Gossage and Hileman. It's free, and tickets are available at 5:45 p.m. in the lobby.

» Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, 7th Street and Independence Avenue SW; through Jan. 3, free; 202-633-1000 (L'Enfant Plaza)

Written by Express contributor Amy Cavanaugh
Photo courtesy Hirshhorn Museum