Apparently Margaret Keane was way ahead of her time. Not content with insanely large-eyed little kids and puppy dogs, she ventured into TWILIGHT territory with this portrait of teen angst. I particularly like the impossibly thin, bare tree in the foreground (a symbol of anorexia?)
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Allee Willis
Margaret Keane was ahead of her time as a painter, single-handedly creating the Big Eye craze that blitzed the 1960’s and still remains popular. But she was, unfortunately, way behind the curve as a feminist. As everyone reading this probably knows, Margaret Keane painted while her husband, Walter, gobbled up the credit. The angst you see in this portrait is probably what she felt inside until a victorious court battle in 1965 at which she painted and Walter claimed a sore shoulder, unable to paint even one big eye. Margaret got her props, divorced Walter and stepped out of the shadows for good.
I’m very excited because I get to meet Ms. Keane at a party thrown for her on March 25. I wonder if she has big eyes?
Douglas Wood
Well put, and great to hear more background. I knew Walter tried to grab Margaret’s work as his own, but didn’t realize there was a whole court battle and divorce involved. Someone should write a Lifetime movie about this.
Oh, and please let all your fellow akitschianados know what the real Ms. Keane’s eyes are like when you meet her next month.
kookykitsch
yes, Im dying to know, too. We have one wall devoted to Keane art and I’m attempting to expand the collection…
Nessa
My mom hung a small Keane picture in my room when I was a kid… those eyes staring at me in the dark filled me with joy as well as the creepies. Lucky you for getting the chance to meet her! Please send her all of our kindest kitsch regards.