The Three Legged Horse

Maura McHugh, Three legged horse #3, work in progress - video

Tonight I went to the art gallery in USD (University of San Diego) for the closing reception of Maura McHugh’s thesis.

Maura McHugh presented three large paintings, two she made earlier this year, and one she painted on the spot in three sessions of three hours or so. What struck me when I entered the gallery was the strong presence of “Abstract Expressionism forces”. In her thesis titled: “Effortlessness and the Unintended”, she discusses about her influences and there is no surprise to find Jackson Pollock and Franz Kline within the group of artists who influenced her work. She has a fascination for horses and although she starts working in a complete abstract way, at a certain point she looks for forms to emerge, and those forms are very likely to be horses. She does not yet know the exact titles of the three paintings she presents here, but she is thinking of using “Three legged horse #1”, “Three legged horse #2” and “Three legged horse #3”. The three paintings have a good energy, they are strong and generous. In the middle of the single room, she made a sculpture (looking like a horse) with the material she used to paint and to protect the floor and the walls of the Gallery when she was working on “Three Legged horse #3”. In the exhibition there is also a video showing “Three legged horse #3” in progress and this is very interesting to watch.

I saw some good friends and we had a good time together!