She's A Rainbow

Michael Canetti's work could not easily be classified, it resides somewhere between abstract, modern, and impressionistic.  To depict the female form is to tackle a fairly complicated problem, many artists try & fail.  The process of capturing a woman in art, is to capture not only the physical characteristics that compose the fairer sex, but also to faithfully represent the female essence.  

It is far too simple to clutter female art with an overuse of sexual imagery.  Many artists find it necessary to depict the sexual appeal of women by using light & shadow, focusing on highly detailed expressions, or utilizing explicit exposure.  Despite efforts, such an approach is conducive to the opposite of the intended effect; hyper-sexuality and a tendency towards the dramatic ultimately lead to an overly masculine representation of women.  After all, the sex appeal of a real woman is rarely blatant and overly exposed but rather found in the subtleties; the way light seems to form a halo around a beautiful girl, the soft movement of long locks across a nude back, or even the gentle grasp of a female hand around a glass of wine.  The biology of women may be accurately depicted in such work, but the more delicate side of women-the grace & finesse the opposite sex seem to exude, is forgotten. 

Canetti picks up where most have failed and exudes unparalleled originality and beauty.  His art is whimsical and full of bright color, devoid of overly complex structure and instead leaves more to the imagination.  Canetti fully realizes the secret of great art; the viewer's mind.  An artist's most powerful tool is the imagination of his viewer and Canetti capitalizes here.  He gives us just enough to get our creative juices flowing and then gracefully exits.  His minimalist approach utilizes the power of form, especially through the contrast between curvature and linearity.  Canetti's women are undoubtedly sexy, even erotic, but never pornographic.  The art is light and playful, never serious or hard edged, and depicts the sexual allure of women not through the use of high contrast or sharp focus but rather via abstraction.  Thus, Canetti's chosen medium comes as no surprise; only watercolors could faithfully portray such an ethereal subject matter.

Canetti's work, while modern in classification, is far from anything typical of today's art scene-especially in regards to the depiction of women.  His work is more grounded in the 1960s and his use of colors is reminiscent of the Washington Color School movement.  I could not help but be reminded of artists like  Morris Louis & Piero Dorazio while studying Canetti's color palette.  Canetti's blend of color, form, and  abstract propensity culminate in genius-an almost mythical representation of sexuality and women.  A kaleidoscope of color, form, and sensuality...Michel Canetti.