Untitled (Work on Paper)

About Untitled (Work on Paper)

The vibrant colours—burnt orange, turquoise, black-a touch of green and the dynamic form of this inspired composition is quintessentially Otto Rogers. The modernist artist was masterful in his use of acrylic paints and his work reflected the natural beauty that surrounded his country studio.

Rogers was recognized by the NY art critic, Clement Greenberg, as a ‘big attack’ painter early in his career and stated that his artwork showed a ‘fullness of inspiration.’ A devout follower of the Baha’i faith, Rogers did not view art as simply a ‘decorative thing.’

“Nature is God's art, but art is a reflection of man’s nature.” Otto Rogers

Otto Rogers (1935-2019) was born in Saskatchewan and acquired his MA in Fine Arts from the University of Wisconsin. He later taught art at the University of Saskatchewan for 30 years. His work is included in more than 30 public collections across Canada, including the Art Gallery of Ontario, the McMichael Canadian Collection, and the National Gallery of Canada. Roger’s work is also in the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona and the National Gallery of Iceland, as well as numerous private and corporate collections.
Rogers also helped sustain the Emma Lake Workshops, which provide a meeting place for many of North America's most respected visual artists and critics, including Clement Greenberg, Barnett Newman, Jules Olitiski, Kenneth Noland, Jack Shadbolt, and Helen Frankenthaler. In 2007, a book of his work, Otto Donald Rogers, including a foreword by British sculptor Sir Anthony Caro, was published.