“Sonia Delaunay: Living Art” at Bard Graduate Center highlights the career of Sonia Delaunay, a Ukrainian-born fashion and textile designer known for creating bold and delightful patterns. The exhibition showcases 184 garments, artifacts, and paintings that span 60 years of her career, emphasizing her unique approach to art. Delaunay, along with her husband Robert Delaunay, was a fixture in Europe’s early abstraction movement and often exhibited together. However, the exhibition aims to restore Sonia’s creative partnership with Robert by highlighting her significant contributions to their shared artistic vocabulary.
While both Delaunays painted, only Sonia worked with textiles, creating a wide range of pieces including cloches, handbags, dresses, curtains, and upholstery. The exhibition displays her innovative use of color and texture in fabric design, showing how she incorporated her unique artistic style into wearable art. Alongside her textile work, Sonia also designed rugs, tapestries, mosaics, record sleeves, and even automobile designs in the 1960s and 70s, showcasing her versatility and influence in various creative fields.
One of the standout features of the exhibition is a wall of crepe silk swatches from Sonia’s workshop, showcasing her “simultaneous fabrics” created using the latest abstraction techniques. Inspired by color theorist Michel Eugène Chevreul, Sonia and her contemporaries revolutionized the use of color, exploring concepts like contrast, inversion, and value to create striking visual effects. The inclusion of Sonia’s instructional “color cards” to fabric manufacturers highlights her keen understanding of color harmonies and marketable instincts.
The exhibition also delves into Sonia’s personal life and creative process, showcasing her artwork created while mourning Robert Delaunay. Her paintings from this period exude a sense of urgency and emotion, reflecting her deep connection to the medium. The show sheds light on Sonia’s overlooked contributions to modern art, emphasizing her innovative use of textiles as a form of artistic expression. Through a variety of mediums, including textiles, paintings, and photographs, viewers gain a comprehensive understanding of Sonia Delaunay’s unique artistic voice and influence.
Overall, “Sonia Delaunay: Living Art” offers a comprehensive look at the creative legacy of Sonia Delaunay, focusing on her significant contributions to the world of art and design. By showcasing her innovative textile work alongside her paintings and personal artifacts, the exhibition highlights her versatility and impact on the art world. Through bold patterns, vibrant colors, and dynamic compositions, Sonia Delaunay’s art continues to captivate audiences and inspire new generations of artists.
