Georgia O'Keeffe's NYC Paintings: A Hidden Side of Her Art You Won't Believe

Georgia O'Keeffe's Undiscovered New York City Masterpieces

While Georgia O'Keeffe is best known for her vibrant Southwestern landscapes and flower paintings, her New York City artworks are finally gaining the recognition they deserve.

The exhibition My New Yorks at the Art Institute of Chicago features over 100 paintings, drawings, photographs, and letters exploring how New York City influenced O'Keeffe's artistic career. It moves to the High Museum of Art in Atlanta this October.

<figure> <img src="https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/h3VfPqrvlPYo-bTlFD6N1BuqAnE=/1000x750/filters:no_upscale():focal(1500x957:1501x958)/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/3d/24/3d24155d-267d-4a65-8ca7-27e5391a27fe/okeefegeorgia_eastriverfromthe30thstoryofsheltonhotel-press300ppi3000pxsrgbjpeg.jpg" alt="Georgia O’Keeffe, East River from" loading="lazy"> <figcaption> *East River From the 30th Story of the Shelton Hotel*, Georgia O’Keeffe, 1928<br> © Georgia O’Keeffe Museum </figcaption> </figure>

O'Keeffe's New York paintings are often darker and moodier than her Southwestern works. She found the city's towering skyscrapers inspiring, creating them on a grand scale similar to her iconic flower paintings.

A Controversial Subject

Surprisingly, O'Keeffe wasn't always supported by her contemporaries when it came to her NYC work. Many believed that cityscapes were too masculine a subject for a woman.

Her husband, Alfred Stieglitz, believed she should focus on more feminine subjects. He was instrumental in her career, yet had a narrow vision of what she should paint.

This exhibition highlights the important yet often overlooked part of O'Keeffe's artistic life. It shows how her urban landscapes were revolutionary for their time and a key influence on her later, more celebrated floral paintings.

“My New Yorks” is on display at the Art Institute of Chicago through September 22, 2024. It will then move to the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, where it will be on view from October 25, 2024, to February 16, 2025.