Allie McGhee

Allie McGhee has gone through several stages in his development as an artist. At first, he made figurative works, mostly expressionists and cubists type. It was the sixties and seventies of the twentieth century, and the artist’s works were based basically on the representation of human figures. Then, Allie realized that abstraction was his true path. Since the eighties, and even today, is that the aesthetic orientation that has distinguished author: abstraction in all its forms (expressionist, geometric and lyrical). Especially the last one (lyrical abstraction), because music is a key element that has affected the realization of such works. Abstractions designed by Allie, are like a jazz piece: extremely fluid and free. And always with very dynamic and bright colors, especially in the two thousand years.

Sometimes, the artist was inspired by macro or microscopic photographs taken by the Hubble telescope or an electron microscope. Such is the case of some works exhibited in G.R. N’Namdi Gallery during the show Nu Kind of Science. Allie McGhee’s work shows some interest by certain phenomena of science and the universe. According to art critic Liz DiDonna: “Looking at one of his paintings is like floating in a dream, peacefully hovering over a landscape and spying shapes swirling around each other. McGhee approaches painting with an endless inquiry into the framework of the universe. His observations conclude with finished paintings of multiple perspectives — we see things from the horizon line and above it simultaneously. What we get is not a feeling of disorientation, but one of omniscience.” (“Soothing the Easel”. Detroit Metro Times, January 17, 2001).

In general, the artist uses mixed media, often with interesting textural values. But undoubtedly the most consistent series by the author is the one entitled “Constructions”. Here we can see the fabulous pieces of painted wood, with very contrasting and intense colors, as well as works made in crumpled paper, in which the artist uses mixed media. These groups of works are exquisite, and speak of an artist in constant growth and experimentation. A great artist, indisputably.

Collections: His paintings are distinguished locally as well as celebrated in prestigious national museum collections such as the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Studio Museum in Harlem, New York.