The Museum of New Art (MONA) is pleased to announce a new exhibition of original and rarely seen artworks by acclaimed American artist George Rodrigue (1944-2013), titled “George Rodrigue: Painting for Myself.” This remarkable showcase, organized in collaboration with the Life & Legacy Foundation and Wendy Rodrigue, will run from September 14, 2023, to January 2, 2024.
Curated by Dana Holland-Beickert, the collection unveiled in this exhibition features an extraordinary assortment of paintings, sculptures, works on metal, and neon pieces, representing the true essence of George Rodrigue’s artistic journey. Rodrigue crafted these artworks without any external influence, whether agents, galleries, or collectors. Many of these pieces remained exclusively within the personal collection of George and Wendy Rodrigue, adorning their homes in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Carmel, California. Rodrigue’s masterpieces, often large in scale and occasionally uniquely shaped, were intentionally designed to harmonize with specific spaces and evoke distinct emotions within their private environments. The exhibition is made possible through the generous support of Avery Insurance.
The public opening of George Rodrigue: Painting for Myself will be on Thursday, September 14th at 5pm at the Museum of Modern Art (MONA), followed by two exhibition tours, the first on Friday, September 15 at 2pm and the second on Saturday, September 16 at 2pm. Both will be led by Wendy, the widow of the esteemed artist, and are free and open to the public.