Urban Chicken Painting

Urban Chicken @ ArtExpo New York By Kristie L. Smith Nikitin, freelance writer & art enthusiast In one of the more light hearted works from Kris Gebhardt, the mixed media painting entitled Urban Chicken calls to mind two very different popular culture references without even trying. In what might be a nod to Grant Wood’s American Gothic, painted in 1930, we see a similar richness in color and the obvious similarity in composition and subject matter, of course, minus the old man and the pitch fork. The second reference is to1965’s debut of the television program Green Acres. Green Acres stars Eva Gabor and Eddie Albert as a New York lawyer and his socialite wife. The pair purchase acreage and move to the country, escaping the rigors of city life. Gabor’s character is less than excited about living in the sticks and insists on wearing her best gowns and jewelry around the farm, much like Gebhardt’s leading lady. In reality, this piece was inspired by an Indiana couple that Gebhardt knows. A city couple, they purchased 50 acre-homestead. The wife decided they needed chickens. But for some reason, the chickens kept dying. We aren’t sure here if the chicken in the piece is still alive, but the woman appears very lively in her halter top and long skirt, cross around her neck and rustic background. She has an air of wild farmer’s daughter about her, young, exuberant and a touch eccentric to wear that get up in a barn. This work is full of conflict, a good balance between light and dark and leaves the audience with many unanswered questions. Urban Chicken Mixed Media 54’ by 71’ By Kris Gebhardt At ArtExpo New York April 21 - 24 2017 Gebhardt Gallery Booth #358

Painting:Acrylic on Canvas

Original:One-of-a-kind Artwork

Size:54 W x 71 H x 2 D in

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