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alchemy
Agnes Pelton, Alchemy , 1937 – 1939, Oil on canvas, 36 x 26 in. The Buck Collection at UCI Jack and Shanaz Langson Institute and Museum of California Art

Alchemy

Agnes Pelton

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Staff Pick | Monthly Muse October 2020

I became obsessed with Agnes Pelton’s Alchemy from the moment I saw it. The “star” that first caught my eye is absolutely brilliant, literally. My interest in mysticism and the occult—particularly their symbols—drew me to the tarot-card-like composition of the work. The deep, velvety darkness of the background contrasting with the luminosity of the figurative forms beckoned me closer. The more time I spend with the painting, the more I see and the deeper my appreciation grows. It is difficult to talk about Alchemy because it evades easy categorization. It is natural and supernatural, historical and timeless, and exists as if perpetually in the middle of a transmutation.

Sebastián Vizcaíno Cortés
Community Engagement Assistant, Langson IMCA

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Institute and Museum of California Art
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Langson IMCA’s ongoing collections research continues to provide new information, which will result in updates, revisions, and enhancements to object records. At the time of publication image credits are reviewed by Langson IMCA’s curatorial staff and reflect the most current information the museum has in its database but may be incomplete.