view from the stage in an elaborately decorated theater; shades of grey, black and white

%C2%A9 Christopher Cook

Déjà vu, 2004

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Christopher Cook's artistic practice often blurs the distinction between drawing and painting. Working with a liquefied mixture of graphite powder, resin, and oil, Cook draws with bravado and spontaneity, producing painterly-like tonal effects that define his "graphites."

Déjà vu reflects Cook's longstanding fascination with worlds within worlds, especially the formal and psychological qualities of enclosed spaces. Here, he presents a panoramic view from the stage of the ornately decorated, but otherwise empty Paris Opera house. In this enigmatic architectural scene, Cook captures the tension between the experience of déjà vu-something already seen-and how one sees something familiar in a new way. Indeed, the relationship between the observer and the observed is fundamental to Cook's artistic interests.

Details
Title
Déjà vu
Artist Life
born 1959
Role
Artist
Accession Number
2004.184.2
Provenance
The artist; [Mary Ryan Gallery, New York]; sold to MIA, 2004.
Curator Approved

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view from the stage in an elaborately decorated theater; shades of grey, black and white

© Christopher Cook

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