Place: Born in Whitford, Alberta, he grew up in Stonewall, Manitoba; also practiced in London, England and Toronto
About the artist: William Kurelek was a painter, illustrator, and author, influenced by his Prairie childhood, Ukrainian heritage, mental illness, and religion. As a young man he dealt with severe mental illness and converted to Roman-Catholicism, crediting “God” as his healer. His art is frequently naïve in style but explores complex issues of cultural identity, as well as themes of morality and human folly. He creates tension in composition and dichotomy in subject matter to convey messages, more important to him than aesthetic quality and central to his purpose as an artist.
William Kurelek, Cold Lake Plunge After Sauna (1973), oil on masonite
About the artwork: Kurelek’s seemingly lighthearted artworks frequently carry veiled moral or religious messages. For instance, his landscapes act as moralistic expressions, as he viewed nature as God in another form. His pieces often work together to form a moral narrative; here, standing alone, it is unknown whether these nudes at the lake represent a Garden of Eden, or great sin and folly.
Rent artwork by William Kurelek from $240 - $3600 per year.
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