Charles Burchfield retrospective curated by Robert Gober at Whitney Museum reassesses visionary modernist

From June 24 to October 17, 2010, the Whitney Museum of American Art showcased 'Heatwaves in a Swamp: The Paintings of Charles Burchfield,' curated by Robert Gober. This retrospective celebrated Burchfield's impact on American modernism, marking him as the first American artist to hold a solo exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art. The exhibition examined his artistic journey, featuring early watercolors from 1917-18, including The Night Wind (1918), and his 1940s resurgence of earlier styles. His later works incorporated motifs like the sun-star and echoing arches. Notable pieces from the 1950s and 1960s, such as Orion in December (1959), illustrated his ties to contemporary art. Burchfield passed away at 75 in December 1967.