Hans Burkhardt: The California State University Northridge Collection

Hans Burkhardt: The California State University Northridge Collection sumptuously illustrates works by this provocative and pioneering American painter. This overview of the University's rich permanent collection of Burkhardt paintings, drawings and prints spans the 1930s, when he shared the studio of Arshile Gorky in New York, through Burkhardt's years in Los Angeles, where since the late 1930s until his death in 1994, he created an astounding body of work. Burkhardt's work as noted by Betty Brown, engaged several visual languages: lyrical, modernist abstraction, and potent expressionism. His work ranged over such diverse formal and emotional territories that it defies singular categorization. In painting, drawing and printmaking, he addressed the visual delights of everyday life and the horrors of war, the truths of love and the lies of government. The diverse formal and emotional territories of his work are united by Burkhardt's humanistic vision and astonishing technical skills. He created images of sumptuous beauty and searing commentaries on the social and political issues of the time. In doing so, he made a unique and lasting contribution to twentieth century art.This important book was published on the occasion of the 2008 CSUN exhibition. Essays include those by Curator and CSUN Art History Professor Betty Ann Brown, CSUN Professor Margarita Nieto, University of California Berkeley Professor Emeritus Peter Selz, and gallerist and leading Burkhardt authority, Jack Rutberg.