Georgia O'Keeffe exhibit reveals

A new exhibition at the Detroit Institute of Arts centers on the architectural works of famed artist Georgia O'Keeffe. Curator Ben Colman assembled nearly 40 pieces for 'Georgia O'Keeffe: Architecture' to present a fresh story about the artist, focusing on buildings and cityscapes she considered essential.

Colman told The Guardian the idea emerged from O'Keeffe's 1932 painting 'Stables,' the only work in the show from the museum's own collection. He found the piece's precise geometry unexpected for an artist known for organic forms. This inspired a broader search for her architectural studies.

New York City from Above

Many architectural works stem from O'K'eeffe's time in New York City. She and her husband Alfred Stieglitz lived in the Shelton hotel, moving from the 11th floor in 1926 up to the 30th floor. Curator Ben Colman noted it was likely the world's tallest residential building at the time. This high vantage point allowed O'Keeffe to create unprecedented cityscapes, including gritty depictions of industrial life along the East River with billowing smokestacks.

"She tried very hard to represent the spirit and character of these places," said Colman. He connects this approach in New York to her later, famous depictions of adobe structures in New Mexico.

A Bridge and a Door

The exhibition features a 1949 painting of the Brooklyn Bridge, created as O'Keeffe prepared to leave New York. Colman described it as a deeply personal painting documenting a moment of transition. The piece flattens the bridge's arches, bringing stained glass windows to mind.

Another key subject is a humble patio door from O'Keeffe's home in Abiquiu, New Mexico. She bought the house in 1945, restored it over four years, and moved there permanently in 1949. O'Keeffe painted this door dozens of times in the 1940s and 50s. Colman said these works are among her most abstract, yet precisely anchored. After seeing one, fellow artist Agnes Martin wrote to O'Keeffe calling it a joyous experience that taught her more about human response.

Exhibition Experience

The show offers immersive digital experiences. Visitors can virtually inhabit O'Keeffe's perspectives from the Shelton hotel and her Abiquiu patio. These aim to let audiences slow down and attend to the subtle details of place that inspired the artist.

Colman positions these architectural works within a network of architects and designers O'Keeffe knew. He aims to bring this lesser-known part of her career greater prominence. "I think visitors will be surprised that these works exist at all," he said. The exhibition runs from September 11 to January 3.