The Quiet Power of Will Barnet's Women in Solitude

Today I’d like to share another artist I discovered while working at the KMA. Will Barnet was a printmaker and painter who was born in 1911. He lived for 101 years, living through several art movements. Therefore, he changed his art style several times throughout his career. The works of his I’m sharing today date from 1971-2003, so they are from much later in his life. The style of art in these pieces is perhaps what he is most known for today.

The Book

1975

I am a woman who owns cats. So naturally, artwork of women hanging out with cats resonates with me. Especially artwork of women reading a book alone with a cat, which is a recurring theme in both Barnet’s work and my life. I’m really in love with the compositions of Barnet’s work. With such few and flat blocks of color, it’s really up to the composition to add visual interest and bring everything together in his work.

Reclining Woman

1981

I was drawn to this piece because it reminds me of Japanese woodblock art, particularly in the tree branches and bird in the top of the composition. I also love the conflicting moods this piece gives off to me. I can see the woman either relaxing serenely, or laying alone in sorrow.

Reflection

1971

While looking through the Will Barnet pieces in our collection, this one stood out to me because it had a bit more intricate detail than the others. The detail is present in the line work of the wood around the mirror behind the women. I also love this piece because there’s something almost ominous about it…

I resonate deeply with the women in Will Barnet’s artwork. They are often times in solitude and seem to have a kind of quiet power. This idea reflects what I think the world needs a bit more of: sitting quietly with ourselves and spending time with our minds, both the dark and light parts. I found myself thinking of the poet Rainer Maria Rilke while looking at the women in these artworks. In his book Letters to a Young Poet, he wrote about the power that sadness has to alter us and create change in our lives and argued the importance of being able to be alone with our experience. In these times where we are all at home and away from the usual distractions, I hope we can allow ourselves the opportunity to sit with our sadness like the women in Will Barnet’s art and see what changes it can inspire in us.