Elizabeth Peyton

Ever have that feeling where you’re utterly exhausted but everything keeps on hurtling around you? It’s incessant and try as you may even little tricks such as an extra glass of wine or even a Xanax fail to provide  any respite. Well, I never do; my life is the stuff of fairy tales and wisps of cotton candy, nothing ever goes wrong in this land of mine. Ok, enough facetiousness; I’ve just had one of the most stressful weekends of my life and we all know how terrible stress is for our looks. Anyhow, when I’m particularly stressed I tend to find relief in simple pursuits such as reading, drowning my woes, pointedly ignoring dealing with issues at hand or better yet a lengthy afternoon in a gallery where I can loose myself in another era or random stranger. Hence, my new found fascination with the artist Elizabeth Peyton.

If I was asked to describe Peyton’s work, I would say that they are manifestations of romantic and highly idealized situations.  It goes beyond just a series of “pretty” but bland portraiture. The collection that personally inspires me is the “Live Forever: Elizabeth Peyton” because it has an extraordinary capacity to elicit emotion and thought. What’s so special about Peyton? Her’s is an oeuvre that is whimsical yet surprisingly personal, the collection features poignant portraits of friends, family and lovers and she has certainly amassed an incredible of subjects from Kurt Cobain, Liam Gallagher, Jarvis Cocker, Rirkrit Tiravanija, Matthew Barney, Eminem, Marc Jacobs and even First Lady Michelle Obama.

To me Peyton’s work is like that of a lover, she captures that starry eyed wonder that occurs when you first notice someone that you have an illogical fascination with. I prefer to think of her as a modern day Basil Hallward. In recent exhibitions her work has been described as

celebrating the aesthetics of youth, fame, and creative genius. They are also testaments to …[her]passion for beauty in all its forms - from the elevated to the everyday. Ultimately, Peyton’s paintings are evidence of a dedication to the creation of a new kind of popular art. Steeped in history, her work aspires to bridge the gap between art and life.

Whatever the case, Peyton’s work is a pleasant distraction from the doldrums of everyday existence. Special thanks to Lily Magaziner for introducing me to a wonderful artist.

Elizabeth Peyton: Nude

Elizabeth Peyton