Peter Bradley
Oblivious Venus
1974
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Peter Bradley
Oblivious Venus
1974
Physical Qualities
Acrylic on canvas, 65 5/8 × 28 1/4 in. (166.7 × 71.8 cm.)
Credit Line
Gift of Ivy Shapiro, New York
Object Number
2023.87
Peter Bradley indulged his fascination with outer space in Oblivious Venus. In the late 1960s, he abandoned the brush and embraced gestural actions such as pouring, splattering, and spraying to build up thick layers of paint in otherworldly abstract paintings. Dark, speckled, and luminous layers of acrylic paint create a saturated and ethereal surface while a lively interplay of colors—burnt oranges, deep reds, and a glint of turquoise—resemble celestial bodies. Gaps in the layers reveal the colors beneath and invite the viewer to look deeper, much like gazing into the vastness of space.
The Baltimore Museum of Art by gift, 2023; Ivy Shapiro, Brooklyn; KARMA Gallery, New York
Baltimore Museum of Art, "Crosscurrents: Works from the Contemporary Collection," Gallery 11, February 26 - June 2025.
