Untitled, 1948

Kaspar Gallery, Toronto Bonham’s Canada, auction, Monday, November 29, 2010, lot 229 Private Collection, Toronto

Yvonne McKague Housser had a diverse artistic practice, evolving her oeuvre from the traditional impressionistic landscape genre to abstract expressionism. Closely linked to the Group of Seven, the artist developed her own style, influenced by the Group but distinct in her own right. Often favouring rich palettes, Housser's artworks are vivid and dynamic, emphasizing fluid lines and movement within her chosen subject. This work is an excellent example of the artist's transitionary period of works during the late 1940s and early 1950s which captured a distinct departure from pure representational art and moved into abstraction. In 1939, Housser travelled to Taos, New Mexico with Isabel McLaughlin where they studied the theories and application of dynamic symmetry under Emil Bisttram. Bisttram was an American artist known for his modern abstract works and incorporation of dynamic symmetry and spiritualism. During a period where Theosophy was a popular esoteric exploration for many artists, Housser also found an interest in this study through her artistic practice. The importance of incorporating spiritualism through art was a common exploration and can be seen in the treatment of radiating light in this work. Most importantly, the integration of dynamic symmetry is paramount. An Ancient Greek method, this approach is an armature which is geometrically designed to promote continuity, flow, rhythm and balance within artistic design. Originally intended for architecture, the method had been adopted by visual artists and applied to create perfectly balanced and striking compositions. Looking to the artist's watercolours and sketches during this period, visible Baroque and sinister diagonals along with reciprocal lines and armatures have been drawn to assist in her compositional development. When a dynamic symmetry grid is overlaid on this work, the contour lines follow these guides with remarkable precision, reinforcing the integrity of the compositional balance of the work and formal excellence. While the wheat-like forms shoot up vertically at the centre of the composition, the fluid curved contour lines of the bands of colour frame these central forms, radiating out from centre and emanating light and energy from the artwork. The work straddles abstraction and representation, guiding the viewer’s eye automatically across the artwork and instilling a sense of restrained power through its balance.