William Utermohlen: Difference between revisions
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{{short description|American artist who drew self |
{{short description|American artist who drew self-portraits with Alzheimer's disease}} |
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{{good article}} |
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{{Infobox person |
{{Infobox person |
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| name = William Utermohlen |
| name = William Utermohlen |
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| image = William Utermohlen - 1967 self portrait mixed media on paper.jpg |
| image = William Utermohlen - 1967 self portrait mixed media on paper.jpg |
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| alt = In this 1967 self |
| alt = In this 1967 self-portrait, a 33 year old male, whose hairline seems to be receding, identified as William Utermohlen, looks at the viewer of the drawing. Utermohlen features facial hair in this portrait, and is wearing a buttoned down shirt. |
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| caption = Self |
| caption = Self-portrait, mixed media on paper, 1967 |
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| birth_name = |
| birth_name = |
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| birth_date = {{Birth date|1933|12|05}} |
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1933|12|05}} |
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| education = [[Philadelphia Academy of Fine Arts]] |
| education = [[Philadelphia Academy of Fine Arts]] |
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| years_active = 1957–2002 |
| years_active = 1957–2002 |
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| known_for = Drawing self |
| known_for = Drawing self-portraits after his diagnosis of [[Alzheimer's disease]] |
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| works = |
| works = |
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| signature = William Utermohlen's signature.svg |
| signature = William Utermohlen's signature.svg |
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}} |
}} |
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'''William Utermohlen''' ({{birth and death dates|1933|12|5|2007|3|21}}) was an American [[figurative artist]] who became known posthumously for the self |
'''William Utermohlen''' ({{birth and death dates|1933|12|5|2007|3|21}}) was an American [[figurative artist]] who became known posthumously for the self-portraits that he created after his diagnosis of [[Alzheimer's disease]] in 1995. |
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Born and raised to [[Immigrant generations|first-generation]] German immigrants in [[South Philadelphia]], Utermohlen earned a scholarship at the [[Philadelphia Academy of Fine Arts]] (PAFA) in 1951. After completing his military service, he began studying in Western Europe in 1953. There, he gained inspiration from [[Renaissance art|Renaissance]] and [[Baroque]] artists. He graduated from PAFA in 1957. Utermohlen's career lasted from 1957 to 2001, and his artworks have been condensed into six cycles, which concern subjects such as his early memories and war. In 1962, Utermohlen moved to London, and later married art historian Patricia Redmond there, in 1965. |
Born and raised to [[Immigrant generations|first-generation]] German immigrants in [[South Philadelphia]], Utermohlen earned a scholarship at the [[Philadelphia Academy of Fine Arts]] (PAFA) in 1951. After completing his military service, he began studying in Western Europe in 1953. There, he gained inspiration from [[Renaissance art|Renaissance]] and [[Baroque]] artists. He graduated from PAFA in 1957. Utermohlen's career lasted from 1957 to 2001, and his artworks have been condensed into six cycles, which concern subjects such as his early memories and war. In 1962, Utermohlen moved to London, and later married art historian Patricia Redmond there, in 1965. |
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Utermohlen experienced early symptoms of memory loss in 1991, and was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 1995. Following his diagnosis, he began creating self |
Utermohlen experienced early symptoms of memory loss in 1991, and was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 1995. Following his diagnosis, he began creating self-portraits and continued it for another six years, until he made the final self-portraits in 2001. He died on March 21, 2007 at the age of 73. In the years after the publication of his works in ''[[The Lancet]]'' in 2001, Utermohlen's self-portraits have been displayed in several exhibitions in [[Chicago]] and [[London]]. his self-portraits were also the inspiration for the 2019 short film ''[[Mémorable]]''. |
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== Early life == |
== Early life == |
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== Career == |
== Career == |
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===1957–1990=== |
===1957–1990=== |
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The first artworks that Utermohlen made were a series of self |
The first artworks that Utermohlen made were a series of self-portraits, which were created between 1955 to 1957.{{sfn|Utermohlen|2006f}} From 1957 to 1959, Utermohlen also enrolled in the [[Ruskin School of Art]] in [[Oxford]],{{sfn|Utermohlen|Polini|Boicos|2008|p=5}} where he met [[R. B. Kitaj]].{{sfnm|1a1=Utermohlen|1a2=Polini|1a3=Boicos|1y=2008|1p=5|2a1=The Times|2y=2007}} After Utermohlen left Ruskin, he returned to the U. S. and stayed there for three years.{{sfn|The Times|2007}} In 1962, Utermohlen moved to London, and met art historian Patricia Redmond, whom he married in 1965.{{sfnm|1a1=The Wall Street Journal|1y=2012|2a1=Utermohlen|2a2=Polini|2a3=Boicos|2y=2008|2p=5}}{{efn|name=marriage|Sources conflict over the date of Utermohlen and Redmond's marriage. For example, ''[[NBC]]'' and ''[[New Statesman]]'' claims that they married the same year they met.{{sfnm|1a1=NBC|1y=2006|2a1=New Statesman|2y=2012}}}} In 1969, Utermohlen's artwork was featured in an exhibition at the [[Marlborough Gallery]], and in 1972, the ''Mummers Cycle'', created by Utermohlen between 1968 and 1970, was exhibited in a gallery in [[Amsterdam]].{{sfn|Utermohlen|Polini|Boicos|2008|p=6}} The same year, Utermohlen began teaching art at the [[Amherst College]] in Massachusetts,{{sfnm|1a1=Utermohlen|1a2=Polini|1a3=Boicos|1y=2008|1pp=6–7|2a1=NBC|2y=2006}} where Patricia received her master's degree.{{sfnm|1a1=Utermohlen|1a2=Polini|1a3=Boicos|1y=2008|1p=7|2a1=The Wall Street Journal|2y=2012}} By 1975, Utermohlen had returned to London.{{sfn|Utermohlen|Polini|Boicos|2008|p=7}} In 1992, he gained British nationality.{{sfn|The Times|2007}} |
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Utermohlen's works have been classified as [[figurative art|figurative]] by [[The Times]], [[NBC]] and Emmanuelle Tulle.{{sfnm|1a1=The Times|1y=2007|2a1=NBC|2y=2006|3a1=Tulle|3y=2004|3p=105}} For a short while in the late 1970s, Utermohlen adopted the technique of printing a photograph onto a canvas and painting directly over the photograph, which was a response to the [[photorealist]] movement. An example of this technique can be seen in a self-portrait from 1977 titled "Self-Portrait (Split)". Utermohlen would use this technique to make two portraits of his wife.{{sfn|Utermohlen|Polini|Boicos|2008|pp=7–8}} |
Utermohlen's works have been classified as [[figurative art|figurative]] by [[The Times]], [[NBC]] and Emmanuelle Tulle.{{sfnm|1a1=The Times|1y=2007|2a1=NBC|2y=2006|3a1=Tulle|3y=2004|3p=105}} For a short while in the late 1970s, Utermohlen adopted the technique of printing a photograph onto a canvas and painting directly over the photograph, which was a response to the [[photorealist]] movement. An example of this technique can be seen in a self-portrait from 1977 titled "Self-Portrait (Split)". Utermohlen would use this technique to make two portraits of his wife.{{sfn|Utermohlen|Polini|Boicos|2008|pp=7–8}} |
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During the creation of the ''Conversation pieces'', Utermohlen started to experience the early symptoms of memory loss. Utermohlen's symptoms at the time included having issues tying a [[necktie]], having problems remembering recent events, and forgetting the route to his apartment.{{sfnm|1a1=Gilhooly|1a2=Gilhooly|1y=2021|1p=116|2a1=Davenhill|2y=2018|2loc=chpt. 17}} From 1993 to 1994, Utermohlen created a series of multiple [[lithograph]]s, which depicted short stories written by the [[World War I]] poet [[Wilfred Owen]].{{sfn|Polini|2007}} Chris Boicos, Utermohlen's art dealer, said that the subject matter of the lithographs were a metaphor for the forthcoming Alzheimer's diagnosis a year later.{{sfn|Hsu|2014|p=116}} By the time Utermohlen had finished these lithographs, Utermohlen would often forget to show up to his art classes.{{sfn|Davenhill|2018|loc=chpt. 17}} |
During the creation of the ''Conversation pieces'', Utermohlen started to experience the early symptoms of memory loss. Utermohlen's symptoms at the time included having issues tying a [[necktie]], having problems remembering recent events, and forgetting the route to his apartment.{{sfnm|1a1=Gilhooly|1a2=Gilhooly|1y=2021|1p=116|2a1=Davenhill|2y=2018|2loc=chpt. 17}} From 1993 to 1994, Utermohlen created a series of multiple [[lithograph]]s, which depicted short stories written by the [[World War I]] poet [[Wilfred Owen]].{{sfn|Polini|2007}} Chris Boicos, Utermohlen's art dealer, said that the subject matter of the lithographs were a metaphor for the forthcoming Alzheimer's diagnosis a year later.{{sfn|Hsu|2014|p=116}} By the time Utermohlen had finished these lithographs, Utermohlen would often forget to show up to his art classes.{{sfn|Davenhill|2018|loc=chpt. 17}} |
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In August 1995,{{sfnm|1a1=Association of American Medical Colleges|1y=2006|2a1=Utermohlen|2a2=Polini|2a3=Boicos|2y=2008|2p=24}} at the age of 61, Utermohlen was diagnosed with [[Alzheimer's disease]].{{sfn|Grady|2006}} Following his diagnosis, Utermohlen was initially sent to the Queen's Square Hospital.{{sfn|New Statesman|2012}} One of the nurses at the hospital, Ron Isaacs, was interested in Utermohlen's drawings, and told him to start drawing self |
In August 1995,{{sfnm|1a1=Association of American Medical Colleges|1y=2006|2a1=Utermohlen|2a2=Polini|2a3=Boicos|2y=2008|2p=24}} at the age of 61, Utermohlen was diagnosed with [[Alzheimer's disease]].{{sfn|Grady|2006}} Following his diagnosis, Utermohlen was initially sent to the Queen's Square Hospital.{{sfn|New Statesman|2012}} One of the nurses at the hospital, Ron Isaacs, was interested in Utermohlen's drawings, and told him to start drawing self-portraits.{{sfn|Utermohlen|Polini|Boicos|2008|p=7}} The first painting made after his diagnosis, entitled ''Blue Skies'', is a self-portrait of Utermohlen gripping onto a yellow table, in a place which ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'' described as "an empty studio".{{sfn|The Wall Street Journal|2012}} When neuropsychologist Sebastian Crutch visited Utermohlen in late 1999, he described this painting as representative of him trying to hang on and avoid being swept out of the open window above.{{sfn|Ball|2017}} ''Blue Skies'' was also the last painting that Utermohlen created that has been considered to be "large scale".{{sfnm|1a1=New Statesman|1y=2012|2a1=The Wall Street Journal|2y=2012}} |
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Utermohlen started drawing self |
Utermohlen started drawing self-portraits in 1995, and continued making them till 2001.{{sfn|Boicos|2016}} Utermohlen also began working on a series of [[watercolour]]s around this time. These watercolours were titled the ''Masks'' series. The series continued from 1994 to 1999, but showed the most activity in 1996.{{sfnm|1a1=Utermohlen|1y=2006a|2a1=Boicos|2y=2016}} The last non-self-portrait was made in 1997, and was of his wife.{{sfn|Utermohlen|Polini|Boicos|2008|p=25}} Utermohlen's wife explained that his later work such as the ''Masks'' series had similarities to movements like [[German Expressionism]].{{sfn|Utermohlen|Polini|Boicos|2008|p=24}} |
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Shortly after Utermohlen's diagnosis, he and his wife went on a trip to Europe. While in Europe, Utermohlen had his attention towards [[Diego Velázquez]]'s 1650 [[Portrait of Pope Innocent X]],{{sfn|Hsu|2014|p=126}} and according to [[New Statesman]], he had saw the portrait and likened it to versions of the portrait created by [[Francis Bacon (artist)|Francis Bacon]].{{sfn|New Statesman|2012}} When the Utermohlens returned to England in 1996, Utermohlen created ''Self Portrait (In the Studio)'', which includes the [[Francis_Bacon (artist)#The screaming mouth|screaming mouth]] that was a common aspect in Bacon's works.{{sfn|Hsu|2014|p=127}} |
Shortly after Utermohlen's diagnosis, he and his wife went on a trip to Europe. While in Europe, Utermohlen had his attention towards [[Diego Velázquez]]'s 1650 [[Portrait of Pope Innocent X]],{{sfn|Hsu|2014|p=126}} and according to [[New Statesman]], he had saw the portrait and likened it to versions of the portrait created by [[Francis Bacon (artist)|Francis Bacon]].{{sfn|New Statesman|2012}} When the Utermohlens returned to England in 1996, Utermohlen created ''Self Portrait (In the Studio)'', which includes the [[Francis_Bacon (artist)#The screaming mouth|screaming mouth]] that was a common aspect in Bacon's works.{{sfn|Hsu|2014|p=127}} |
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Alzheimer's disease had began to affect his artworks, as over the next six years, Utermohlen’s self |
Alzheimer's disease had began to affect his artworks, as over the next six years, Utermohlen’s self-portraits became increasingly unrecognizable.{{sfnm|1a1=Gerrard|1y=2015|2a1=Loyola University Chicago|2y=2016}} The 1997 self-portrait "Self Portrait with Saw" contains a carpenter's saw to the far right, which his wife thought was referencing an [[autopsy]] that would have offered the definite diagnosis of his disease.{{sfnm|1a1=American Academy of Neurology|1y=2006|2a1=Loyola University Chicago|2y=2016}} "Erased Self Portrait" from 1999, was the last attempt of making a self-portrait with a paint brush,{{sfn|NBC|2006}} and according to Utermohlen's wife, he worked on that self-portrait for nearly two years.{{sfn|Association of American Medical Colleges|2006}} The self-portraits from 2000–2001 consist of just a head. "Head I", made in 2000, features the attributes of a head with eyes, a mouth, and a smudge on the left that appears to be an ear. The rest of the portraits were of a blank head, one of them erased.{{sfn|Boicos|2016}} |
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In December 2000, Utermohlen had retired from [[oil painting]].{{sfn|Derbyshire|2001}} By 2002, Utermohlen could no longer draw, and he was sent to the Princess Louise nursing home in 2004. Utermohlen died at the [[Hammersmith Hospital]], on March 21, 2007, from [[pneumonia]], at the age of 73.{{sfn|Utermohlen|Polini|Boicos|2008|p=7}} Utermohlen's wife commented on his death by saying; "He died in 2007, but really he was dead long before that, Bill died in 2000, when the disease meant he was no longer able to draw."{{sfn|Purcell|2012}} |
In December 2000, Utermohlen had retired from [[oil painting]].{{sfn|Derbyshire|2001}} By 2002, Utermohlen could no longer draw, and he was sent to the Princess Louise nursing home in 2004. Utermohlen died at the [[Hammersmith Hospital]], on March 21, 2007, from [[pneumonia]], at the age of 73.{{sfn|Utermohlen|Polini|Boicos|2008|p=7}} Utermohlen's wife commented on his death by saying; "He died in 2007, but really he was dead long before that, Bill died in 2000, when the disease meant he was no longer able to draw."{{sfn|Purcell|2012}} |
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==Legacy== |
==Legacy== |
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=== Critical reception === |
=== Critical reception === |
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Utermohlen's self |
Utermohlen's self-portraits gained further attention after they were published in a 2001 paper from ''[[The Lancet]]'', which has often been attributed for the self-portrait's popularity.{{sfnm|1a1=The Wall Street Journal|1y=2012|2a1=Utermohlen|2a2=Polini|2a3=Boicos|2y=2008|2p=7|3a1=Tulle|3y=2004|3p=107}}{{efn|Utermohlen had wanted his works to be a subject of medical research and he willingly engaged in research published by ''The Lancet'', which involved the relationship between the symptoms of the disease and aesthetics.{{sfn|Swinnen|2015|p=147}}}} |
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The director of the [[Loyola University Museum of Art]] (LUMA), Pam Ambrose, commented on Utermohlen's self |
The director of the [[Loyola University Museum of Art]] (LUMA), Pam Ambrose, commented on Utermohlen's self-portraits, stating that "If you did not know that this man was suffering from Alzheimer's, you could simply perceive the work as a stylistic change".{{sfn|Loyola University Chicago|2016}} Other commenters of Utermohlen's works compared them to [[Vincent van Gogh]], [[Pablo Picasso]] and [[Edvard Munch]].{{sfn|Swinnen|2015|p=145}} A 2012 article by ''[[New Scientist]]'' said that Utermohlen's artworks provided viewers with a "unique glimpse into the effects of a declining brain."{{sfn|Swinnen|2015|p=146}} The existence of his previous self-portraits (which have allowed viewers to create a time-lapse of his mental decline), and the idea that his works give a rare view into the mind of an Alzheimer's patient, were two aspects contributing to the popularity of the self-portraits.{{sfn|Swinnen|2015|pp=145-146}} |
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=== In popular culture === |
=== In popular culture === |
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Utermohlen's self |
Utermohlen's self-portraits were the inspiration for the 2019 short film ''[[Mémorable]]'', which was created after Utermohlen's self-portraits were discovered by the film's director, Bruno Collet.{{sfn|Grobar|2020}} It was nominated for the [[Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film]] in 2020.{{sfn|Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences|2020}} |
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==Exhibitions== |
==Exhibitions== |
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Utermohlen's artworks and his late self |
Utermohlen's artworks and his late self-portraits have also been shown in several exhibitions in the years after his death, including 12 exhibitions from 2006 to 2008.{{sfn|Utermohlen|Polini|Boicos|2008|p=35}} Notable exhibitions include ''A Persistence of Memory'', shown at the Loyola Museum of Art in Chicago, in 2016,{{sfn|Boicos|2016}} A Retrospective at the GV Art gallery in London in 2012,{{sfnm|1a1=The Wall Street Journal|1y=2012|2a1=New Statesman|2y=2012}}{{efn|The GV Art gallery had a previous exhibition of Utermohlen's work earlier that year, which was titled "William Utermohlen: Artistic decline through Alzheimer's".{{sfn|Purcell|2012}}}} an exhibition at the [[Chicago Cultural Center]] in 2008,{{sfn|Lock|2015|p=244}} and ''The Later Works of William Utermohlen'', shown at the New York Academy of Medicine, in 2006, which marked the centenary of [[Alois Alzheimer]] first discovering the disease.{{sfnm|1a1=American Academy of Neurology|1y=2006|2a1=NBC|2y=2006|3a1=Grady|3y=2006}} His self-portraits have also been shown in Paris, [[Boston]], Massachussets and [[Los Angeles]], in [[California]]. In 2008 Utermohlen's self-portraits were in an exhibition in [[Sacramento, California]].{{sfn|Trinity Journal|2008}} |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
Revision as of 11:54, 28 November 2021
William Utermohlen | |
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Born | South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. | December 5, 1933
Died | March 21, 2007 London, England | (aged 73)
Nationality | American (1933–1992) British (1992–2007) |
Education | Philadelphia Academy of Fine Arts |
Years active | 1957–2002 |
Known for | Drawing self-portraits after his diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease |
Spouse |
Patricia Redmond (m. 1965) |
Signature | |
William Utermohlen (Template:Birth and death dates) was an American figurative artist who became known posthumously for the self-portraits that he created after his diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease in 1995.
Born and raised to first-generation German immigrants in South Philadelphia, Utermohlen earned a scholarship at the Philadelphia Academy of Fine Arts (PAFA) in 1951. After completing his military service, he began studying in Western Europe in 1953. There, he gained inspiration from Renaissance and Baroque artists. He graduated from PAFA in 1957. Utermohlen's career lasted from 1957 to 2001, and his artworks have been condensed into six cycles, which concern subjects such as his early memories and war. In 1962, Utermohlen moved to London, and later married art historian Patricia Redmond there, in 1965.
Utermohlen experienced early symptoms of memory loss in 1991, and was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 1995. Following his diagnosis, he began creating self-portraits and continued it for another six years, until he made the final self-portraits in 2001. He died on March 21, 2007 at the age of 73. In the years after the publication of his works in The Lancet in 2001, Utermohlen's self-portraits have been displayed in several exhibitions in Chicago and London. his self-portraits were also the inspiration for the 2019 short film Mémorable.
Early life
William Utermohlen was born in Southern Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on December 5, 1933,[1] and was the only child of first-generation German immigrants.[2] In 1951, he earned a scholarship to the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts (PAFA), where he was educated under the realist artist Walter Stuempfig.[3] Utermohlen completed his military service in 1953,[4] which featured two years of service in the Caribbean. Shortly after completing his military service, Utermohlen began studying in Western Europe. He travelled through Italy, France, and Spain[b] where he was heavily influenced by the works of Giotto and Nicolas Poussin.[6] In 1957 he graduated from PAFA.[7]
Career
1957–1990
The first artworks that Utermohlen made were a series of self-portraits, which were created between 1955 to 1957.[8] From 1957 to 1959, Utermohlen also enrolled in the Ruskin School of Art in Oxford,[3] where he met R. B. Kitaj.[9] After Utermohlen left Ruskin, he returned to the U. S. and stayed there for three years.[10] In 1962, Utermohlen moved to London, and met art historian Patricia Redmond, whom he married in 1965.[2][a] In 1969, Utermohlen's artwork was featured in an exhibition at the Marlborough Gallery, and in 1972, the Mummers Cycle, created by Utermohlen between 1968 and 1970, was exhibited in a gallery in Amsterdam.[12] The same year, Utermohlen began teaching art at the Amherst College in Massachusetts,[13] where Patricia received her master's degree.[14] By 1975, Utermohlen had returned to London.[15] In 1992, he gained British nationality.[10]
Utermohlen's works have been classified as figurative by The Times, NBC and Emmanuelle Tulle.[16] For a short while in the late 1970s, Utermohlen adopted the technique of printing a photograph onto a canvas and painting directly over the photograph, which was a response to the photorealist movement. An example of this technique can be seen in a self-portrait from 1977 titled "Self-Portrait (Split)". Utermohlen would use this technique to make two portraits of his wife.[17]
Most of the paintings that Utermohlen made throughout his career have been classified into six cycles: the Mythological series of 1962–1963, the Cantos cycle (or the Dante cycle) of 1964–1966, the Mummers Cycle of 1969–1970, the War series of 1972–1973; Nudes series of 1973–1974,[c] and the Conversation pieces of 1989–1991. The Mythological series consists of relatively dim water scenes.[19] The Dante cycle was inspired by Dante's Inferno, but the art style was also influenced by 1960s movements including pop art.[20] The War series were artworks that referenced the Vietnam War.[21] A 1973 painting in the Nudes series titled "Five Figures", was influenced by events that happened at Amherst College.[18]
Both the Mummers Cycle and the Conversation pieces were based on early memories. The Mummers Cycle, created by Utermohlen between 1968 to 1970, is based on the Mummers Parade of Philadelphia,[22] but in a letter from November 1970, Utermohlen stated that the Mummers Cycle was also created as a "vehicle for expressing my anxiety".[23] The Conversation pieces have been described by Patrice Polini as Utermohlen trying to fix the events of his life before they fade away.[24]
For a short while in the early 1980s, Utermohlen's work had expanded to making murals in places as the Liberal Jewish Synagogue and the Royal Free Hospital.[25][26] The mural at the Liberal Jewish Synagogue was inspired by Italian painter Piero della Francesca.[27] Utermohlen had also been commissioned to paint portraits, which were created from the late 1960s to 1990.[28]
Alzheimer's disease and death
During the creation of the Conversation pieces, Utermohlen started to experience the early symptoms of memory loss. Utermohlen's symptoms at the time included having issues tying a necktie, having problems remembering recent events, and forgetting the route to his apartment.[30] From 1993 to 1994, Utermohlen created a series of multiple lithographs, which depicted short stories written by the World War I poet Wilfred Owen.[24] Chris Boicos, Utermohlen's art dealer, said that the subject matter of the lithographs were a metaphor for the forthcoming Alzheimer's diagnosis a year later.[31] By the time Utermohlen had finished these lithographs, Utermohlen would often forget to show up to his art classes.[32]
In August 1995,[33] at the age of 61, Utermohlen was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.[34] Following his diagnosis, Utermohlen was initially sent to the Queen's Square Hospital.[35] One of the nurses at the hospital, Ron Isaacs, was interested in Utermohlen's drawings, and told him to start drawing self-portraits.[15] The first painting made after his diagnosis, entitled Blue Skies, is a self-portrait of Utermohlen gripping onto a yellow table, in a place which The Wall Street Journal described as "an empty studio".[6] When neuropsychologist Sebastian Crutch visited Utermohlen in late 1999, he described this painting as representative of him trying to hang on and avoid being swept out of the open window above.[36] Blue Skies was also the last painting that Utermohlen created that has been considered to be "large scale".[37]
Utermohlen started drawing self-portraits in 1995, and continued making them till 2001.[38] Utermohlen also began working on a series of watercolours around this time. These watercolours were titled the Masks series. The series continued from 1994 to 1999, but showed the most activity in 1996.[39] The last non-self-portrait was made in 1997, and was of his wife.[40] Utermohlen's wife explained that his later work such as the Masks series had similarities to movements like German Expressionism.[41]
Shortly after Utermohlen's diagnosis, he and his wife went on a trip to Europe. While in Europe, Utermohlen had his attention towards Diego Velázquez's 1650 Portrait of Pope Innocent X,[42] and according to New Statesman, he had saw the portrait and likened it to versions of the portrait created by Francis Bacon.[35] When the Utermohlens returned to England in 1996, Utermohlen created Self Portrait (In the Studio), which includes the screaming mouth that was a common aspect in Bacon's works.[43]
Alzheimer's disease had began to affect his artworks, as over the next six years, Utermohlen’s self-portraits became increasingly unrecognizable.[44] The 1997 self-portrait "Self Portrait with Saw" contains a carpenter's saw to the far right, which his wife thought was referencing an autopsy that would have offered the definite diagnosis of his disease.[45] "Erased Self Portrait" from 1999, was the last attempt of making a self-portrait with a paint brush,[4] and according to Utermohlen's wife, he worked on that self-portrait for nearly two years.[46] The self-portraits from 2000–2001 consist of just a head. "Head I", made in 2000, features the attributes of a head with eyes, a mouth, and a smudge on the left that appears to be an ear. The rest of the portraits were of a blank head, one of them erased.[38]
In December 2000, Utermohlen had retired from oil painting.[47] By 2002, Utermohlen could no longer draw, and he was sent to the Princess Louise nursing home in 2004. Utermohlen died at the Hammersmith Hospital, on March 21, 2007, from pneumonia, at the age of 73.[15] Utermohlen's wife commented on his death by saying; "He died in 2007, but really he was dead long before that, Bill died in 2000, when the disease meant he was no longer able to draw."[48]
Legacy
Critical reception
Utermohlen's self-portraits gained further attention after they were published in a 2001 paper from The Lancet, which has often been attributed for the self-portrait's popularity.[49][d] The director of the Loyola University Museum of Art (LUMA), Pam Ambrose, commented on Utermohlen's self-portraits, stating that "If you did not know that this man was suffering from Alzheimer's, you could simply perceive the work as a stylistic change".[51] Other commenters of Utermohlen's works compared them to Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso and Edvard Munch.[52] A 2012 article by New Scientist said that Utermohlen's artworks provided viewers with a "unique glimpse into the effects of a declining brain."[53] The existence of his previous self-portraits (which have allowed viewers to create a time-lapse of his mental decline), and the idea that his works give a rare view into the mind of an Alzheimer's patient, were two aspects contributing to the popularity of the self-portraits.[54]
In popular culture
Utermohlen's self-portraits were the inspiration for the 2019 short film Mémorable, which was created after Utermohlen's self-portraits were discovered by the film's director, Bruno Collet.[55] It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film in 2020.[56]
Exhibitions
Utermohlen's artworks and his late self-portraits have also been shown in several exhibitions in the years after his death, including 12 exhibitions from 2006 to 2008.[57] Notable exhibitions include A Persistence of Memory, shown at the Loyola Museum of Art in Chicago, in 2016,[38] A Retrospective at the GV Art gallery in London in 2012,[58][e] an exhibition at the Chicago Cultural Center in 2008,[59] and The Later Works of William Utermohlen, shown at the New York Academy of Medicine, in 2006, which marked the centenary of Alois Alzheimer first discovering the disease.[60] His self-portraits have also been shown in Paris, Boston, Massachussets and Los Angeles, in California. In 2008 Utermohlen's self-portraits were in an exhibition in Sacramento, California.[61]
See also
- The Caretaker – alias of Leyland James Kirby, which depicted the effects of Alzheimer's disease through music
References
Notes
- ^ a b Sources conflict over the date of Utermohlen and Redmond's marriage. For example, NBC and New Statesman claims that they married the same year they met.[11]
- ^ He was able to travel through Italy, France, and Spain through the G.I. Bill, which he had gained from his service in the Caribbean.[5]
- ^ Although the Nudes series date back to 1953, the series was most active from 1973–1974.[18]
- ^ Utermohlen had wanted his works to be a subject of medical research and he willingly engaged in research published by The Lancet, which involved the relationship between the symptoms of the disease and aesthetics.[50]
- ^ The GV Art gallery had a previous exhibition of Utermohlen's work earlier that year, which was titled "William Utermohlen: Artistic decline through Alzheimer's".[48]
Citations
- ^ The Times 2007; Baldwin & Capstick 2007, p. xxix.
- ^ a b The Wall Street Journal 2012; Utermohlen, Polini & Boicos 2008, p. 5.
- ^ a b Utermohlen, Polini & Boicos 2008, p. 5.
- ^ a b NBC 2006.
- ^ Baldwin & Capstick 2007, p. xxix.
- ^ a b The Wall Street Journal 2012.
- ^ Bradley et al. 2006, p. 152.
- ^ Utermohlen 2006f.
- ^ Utermohlen, Polini & Boicos 2008, p. 5; The Times 2007.
- ^ a b The Times 2007.
- ^ NBC 2006; New Statesman 2012.
- ^ Utermohlen, Polini & Boicos 2008, p. 6.
- ^ Utermohlen, Polini & Boicos 2008, pp. 6–7; NBC 2006.
- ^ Utermohlen, Polini & Boicos 2008, p. 7; The Wall Street Journal 2012.
- ^ a b c Utermohlen, Polini & Boicos 2008, p. 7.
- ^ The Times 2007; NBC 2006; Tulle 2004, p. 105.
- ^ Utermohlen, Polini & Boicos 2008, pp. 7–8.
- ^ a b Utermohlen 2006j.
- ^ Utermohlen 2006g.
- ^ Utermohlen 2006c.
- ^ Utermohlen 2006b; Utermohlen, Polini & Boicos 2008, p. 8.
- ^ Utermohlen 2006h.
- ^ Utermohlen, Polini & Boicos 2008, p. 12.
- ^ a b Polini 2007.
- ^ Bradley et al. 2006, p. 152; Utermohlen, Polini & Boicos 2008, p. 7.
- ^ Green et al. 2015, p. 19.
- ^ Utermohlen 2006d.
- ^ Utermohlen 2006i.
- ^ Utermohlen 2006e.
- ^ Gilhooly & Gilhooly 2021, p. 116; Davenhill 2018, chpt. 17.
- ^ Hsu 2014, p. 116.
- ^ Davenhill 2018, chpt. 17.
- ^ Association of American Medical Colleges 2006; Utermohlen, Polini & Boicos 2008, p. 24.
- ^ Grady 2006.
- ^ a b New Statesman 2012.
- ^ Ball 2017.
- ^ New Statesman 2012; The Wall Street Journal 2012.
- ^ a b c Boicos 2016.
- ^ Utermohlen 2006a; Boicos 2016.
- ^ Utermohlen, Polini & Boicos 2008, p. 25.
- ^ Utermohlen, Polini & Boicos 2008, p. 24.
- ^ Hsu 2014, p. 126.
- ^ Hsu 2014, p. 127.
- ^ Gerrard 2015; Loyola University Chicago 2016.
- ^ American Academy of Neurology 2006; Loyola University Chicago 2016.
- ^ Association of American Medical Colleges 2006.
- ^ Derbyshire 2001.
- ^ a b Purcell 2012.
- ^ The Wall Street Journal 2012; Utermohlen, Polini & Boicos 2008, p. 7; Tulle 2004, p. 107.
- ^ Swinnen 2015, p. 147.
- ^ Loyola University Chicago 2016.
- ^ Swinnen 2015, p. 145.
- ^ Swinnen 2015, p. 146.
- ^ Swinnen 2015, pp. 145–146.
- ^ Grobar 2020.
- ^ Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 2020.
- ^ Utermohlen, Polini & Boicos 2008, p. 35.
- ^ The Wall Street Journal 2012; New Statesman 2012.
- ^ Lock 2015, p. 244.
- ^ American Academy of Neurology 2006; NBC 2006; Grady 2006.
- ^ Trinity Journal 2008.
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