Christie’s New York has announced a unique private selling exhibition of paintings by Forrest Bess, a self-proclaimed visionary and loner whose abstractions have maintained loyal followers. The paintings come from the collection of Harry Burkhart, a neighbor of Bess who acquired the paintings in exchange for sandwiches and companionship.
Titled A Tribute to Forrest Bess, the sale includes 40 of the late artist’s master works, offering insight into his artistic perspective. The exhibition will last for five weeks beginning in March, with proceeds from the sale to benefit the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Bess was born in Bay City, Texas, and lived alone on a small island off the Gulf Coast supporting himself as a fisherman. However, he had goals of embarking on a quest for immortality, which he believed could be achieved when man possessed both male and female sexual characteristics.
A self-proclaimed visionary, Bess's perspective on life was altered after suffering a head injury while serving in the Army. He began having strange visions, which he tried to convey through his paintings. Bess has cited well known psychiatrist Carl Jung as another inspirational source behind his creativity. Predominantly small-scale abstractions, his artworks are populated with idiosyncratic, personal symbols.
Bess explains his thought process by saying “I term myself a visionary painter for lack of a better word. Something seen otherwise than by ordinary sight. I can close my eyes in a dark room and if there is no outside noise or attraction, plus, if there is no conscious effort on my part—then I see color, lines, patterns and forms that make up my canvases. I have always copied these arrangements exactly without elaboration.”
Bess died in 1977 in his hometown after losing his battle with alcoholism. His work garnered him shows at the Betty Parsons Gallery in New York City alongside Jackson Pollock, Clyfford Still, Barnett Newman and Mark Rothko and it has been featured in many private collections and major museums.
The Christie’s exhibit is timed to coincide with the Armory Show and the Whitney Biennial, where he will be a featured artist. The exhibition will be held Mar. 1st- Apr. 3rd every Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. at Rockefeller Center (20th floor) at 1230 Avenue of the Americas.
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