Apr 1 2020

My Daily Art

Janet Werner. Girl With Red Shirt, 2005. oil on canvas, 203.2 x 167.6 cm. Collection of the Winnipeg Art Gallery; Gift of an anonymous donor, 2007-5. 

The inspiration for “Girl with Red Shirt” (2005) by the Winnipeg-born Janet Werner was a magazine advertisement for children’s clothing.

The artist then reduced the headshot to elemental forms and colours, simplifying, and then enlarging it to over 2 metres in height in a grand gesture. Starting with a hot-pink ground, which transitions to grey, the composition is exquisitely crafted using multiple layers of paint.

I recall hanging this work in the main entrance hall of the WAG along with a group of large abstract paintings of similar dimensions. With the installation complete, Werner’s portrait came alive in its own abstraction, intersecting with the rhythm and geometry around it.

While the WAG is temporarily closed, your collection is still here for you. Stay connected with the art through daily posts from our Director & CEO, Dr. Stephen Borys.

This is a series of daily posts that will continue until the Gallery reopens. Follow along on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, or visit our stories section.

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