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Brilliant Gloom

A work made of acrylic and thread on canvas.

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  • A work made of acrylic and thread on canvas.

Date:

2004

Artist:

Michael Raedecker
Dutch, born 1963

About this artwork

Often depicting unsettling yet strangely familiar locations, Michael Raedecker’s atmospheric paintings layer embroidery over muted planes of color. Applying pale washes of pigment “drawn” over with thread, he creates a sparse framework onto which he builds up isolated patches of detail. Brilliant Gloom depicts a view of a house in a murky, seemingly cosmic landscape with stitched-on plants and rocks that appear to float above the ground. A radiant grid of brightly colored lights hovers above the shadowy vista, vaguely reflected in the water. The gleaming colored lamps pierce the dull haze of the surrounding sky, resulting in a glowing cloud of color and light in an otherwise bleak environment—perhaps the remaining vestige of a party after the guests and host have departed or even something more supernatural.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Contemporary Art

Artist

Michael Raedecker

Title

Brilliant Gloom

Place

Netherlands (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

Made 2004

Medium

Acrylic and thread on canvas

Dimensions

190.5 × 309.9 cm (75 × 122 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of Fred McDougal and Nancy Lauter McDougal

Reference Number

2005.474

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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