Audrey Flack, though trained in Abstract Expressionism, is primarily known for her photorealist works -- or, as she refers to them, “superrealist”. In these paintings, In the 1980s, Flack paints an assortment of objects in a space approximately four inches deep. The objects, often toys, evoke nostalgia and explore the purpose of material objects in creating a personal or cultural identity. Flack moved from painting to sculpture, particularly in the form of public commissions. She sculpts idealized female forms, often drawn from history, to be archetypes of abstract concepts such as power, energy, or a cultural history. Flack’s works, whether painting or sculpture, often have feminist undertones. In Spitfire, Flack paints a strew of toy planes and magazines, regarded by society as “boy” toys. Amidst these toys Flack has included a string of pearls which, alongside an array of model paints, hint at the presence of the (woman) artist.

- C Rasmussen 9/19