Artist

John Urbain (Primary)

Title

Lavender Night

Date

1979

Century

20th century

Medium & Support

Acrylic and mixed media on board

Dimensions

Support: 14 7/8 x 15 in. , Frame: 16 1/8 x 16 1/2 in.

Style

Abstraction

Object Type

Paintings

Credit Line

Black Mountain College Collection, gift of Lorna Blaine Halper

Accession Number

2007.27.05.29

Copyright

In Copyright
© Estate of John Urbain

Lavender Night, with its rich purple, red, and yellow hues set against a dark background, displays Urbain’s interest in utilizing collage, color, and abstraction as a way to see the world differently. The title perhaps references the sky above his Block Island, RI, home, a frequent source of inspiration for the artist. Urbain attended Black Mountain College on the GI Bill from winter 1946 through fall 1947. While there, he was heavily influenced by Josef Albers, whose emphasis on color, line, and form is evident in this work. After his time at Black Mountain College, Urbain transitioned into collage as his primary mode of making, whichhe continued to create over the course of his career as an art director and into his personal work after retirement.

Exhibition Title: Asheville Art Museum: An Introduction to the Collection
Label Date: 2021
Type: Catalogue Entry
Written by: Hilary Schroeder

• abstraction