Ruth Baumgarte. Africa: Visions of Light and Colour

Beginning in the 1950s and continuing until her death in 2013, the German painter made more than 40 trips to the continent of Africa. This display at the Albertina in Vienna (until 5 March 2023) brings together 38 oil paintings, watercolours and drawings, revealing Baumgarte’s deep connection to the landscapes and people she encountered. Renowned for her bold use of colour, Baumgarte sought to represent the African landscape with a saturated palette of reds, yellows and oranges. Her works range from dreamlike scenes such as African Vision (1998), to street scenes which, like Misunderstanding (1993), show how the artist sought to capture fleeting moments in sketches, which she later worked up in her studio in Germany. Baumgarte’s paintings often blur the boundaries between human forms and the landscapes in which they find themselves – an exploration of humanity’s connection with the natural world. Find out more on the Albertina’s website.

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