Gertrude Abercrombie (1909-1977) thought herself ugly yet couldn’t stop painting self-portraits. Not many of the forty-some pictures in “Portrait of the Artist as a Landscape,” now at the Elmhurst Art Museum, attempt to render Abercrombie’s actual features, but almost all of them try to depict her mental or emotional states. They are indeed overwhelmingly landscapes, as the title of the exhibition states, but of anxiety, fear, and loneliness rather than of sea, sky, or earth.
Looking for more insight into this intriguing exhibition, I reached out to the Elmhurst Art Museum’s exhibition manager, Lal Bahcecioglu, with some questions and she kindly responded via email.
I was most drawn to Abercrombie’s door motif. Since you’re incorporated actual doors in the installation of the show, you must’ve felt the same. Do you have an idea why she returned to them so often?
Our visitors so far love the show! The exhibition has three parts. The first part is more didactic that gives insights into Abercrombie’s life including a WFMT radio interview with her and Studs Terkel, which ran shortly after her death in 1977. This section also has works inspired by Abercrombie that were made by other artists. The second part can be seen as a small-scale retrospective, which includes her work ranging from the late 30s until early 70s. The final part of the show, You’re Surreal, is an immersive installation by the artist and educator Donna Castellanos. In this room, all visitors are invited to interact with props and make their creations. The show has been very well received by young and old alike.
