It seems fitting that artists with Sun in zodiac sign Virgo should gravitate towards precision and minimalism: geometric shapes, clean lines, that kind of thing. Here are three such Sun Virgo artists, from the 20th century.
For reference I've added a natal chart, set for 12 noon, for each artist. Clicking on the chart image should enlarge it. I'm not getting into interpretation here - other than the focus on Virgo Sun, a factor common to all three artists. Crawford and LeWitt each have just Sun in Virgo, Andre has Sun, Neptune and Venus all there. Another commonality, easily picked out: all three artists have (at least) two oppositions in their charts - perhaps not relevant to their art styles though.
Ralston Crawford born September 5, 1906, St. Catharines, Canada. (From age 10 lived in the USA)
Abstract painter, lithographer, and photographer, best known for his abstract representations of urban life and industry. His early work placed him with Precisionist artists... focus was on realistic, sharp portrayals of factories, bridges, and shipyards. Later work was geometrically abstract.
Short, interesting video narrated by the artist's son:
Sol LeWitt born September 9, 1928, Hartford, Connecticut. An artist linked to various movements, including Conceptual art and Minimalism; came to fame in the late 1960s with wall drawings and "structures" (a term he preferred instead of "sculptures") but was prolific in a wide range of media including drawing, printmaking, photography, and painting.
Carl Andre born September 16, 1935, Quincy, MA. Minimalist artist recognized for his ordered linear format and grid format sculptures. His sculptures range from large public artworks to more intimate tile patterns arranged on the floor of an exhibition space.
Hmm - in the course of preparing this post I kept hearing a bell tinkling in my memory banks - I now find that I did write a whole post on Carl Andre back in 2010: Artist Carl Andre, a True Virgo Type.
For reference I've added a natal chart, set for 12 noon, for each artist. Clicking on the chart image should enlarge it. I'm not getting into interpretation here - other than the focus on Virgo Sun, a factor common to all three artists. Crawford and LeWitt each have just Sun in Virgo, Andre has Sun, Neptune and Venus all there. Another commonality, easily picked out: all three artists have (at least) two oppositions in their charts - perhaps not relevant to their art styles though.
Ralston Crawford born September 5, 1906, St. Catharines, Canada. (From age 10 lived in the USA)Abstract painter, lithographer, and photographer, best known for his abstract representations of urban life and industry. His early work placed him with Precisionist artists... focus was on realistic, sharp portrayals of factories, bridges, and shipyards. Later work was geometrically abstract.
Short, interesting video narrated by the artist's son:
Sol LeWitt born September 9, 1928, Hartford, Connecticut. An artist linked to various movements, including Conceptual art and Minimalism; came to fame in the late 1960s with wall drawings and "structures" (a term he preferred instead of "sculptures") but was prolific in a wide range of media including drawing, printmaking, photography, and painting.
Carl Andre born September 16, 1935, Quincy, MA. Minimalist artist recognized for his ordered linear format and grid format sculptures. His sculptures range from large public artworks to more intimate tile patterns arranged on the floor of an exhibition space.
Hmm - in the course of preparing this post I kept hearing a bell tinkling in my memory banks - I now find that I did write a whole post on Carl Andre back in 2010: Artist Carl Andre, a True Virgo Type.
my issue with virgo artists is that their art seems so COLD.. unfeeling- unemotional. to me, art should look and feel Passionate and when it doesn't, it turns me off to it..
ReplyDeletejust my opinion , of course:)
Sonny ~ Yes, that's true - a valid point. I'm sure Sun Virgo people can be as passionate as the next of us in other areas of life though.
ReplyDeletePerhaps the coolness of some of their art passionately turns some similarly aligned people on....hard to imagine though. Still, some people are turned on by a complex mathematical formula. I was stumped with even the simplest diversion from adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing. ;-)
"Horses for courses."
I'm sure you're right about Virgo's having passion.. Perhaps its just the art of theirs I've looked at..
ReplyDeleteMath is not a love of mine either, except when I can ADD money to my bank account..lol
ps-- I just noticed as I look around my home that I have more round furniture , by that I mean, if I choose a table its more likely to be oval / round than square..
ReplyDeletenow, if I can get one of those round beds like they have in Las Vegas lol
In general, I agree with Sonny's comment, though there are several Virgo-born artists whose work resonates with me.
ReplyDeleteRobert Crumb's work appeals to me. "Mr. Natural" was born August 30, 1943. His work is known as satirical cartoon or irreverent illustration, not the more formal art one would find in a gallery of fine art, though Crumb has finally attained that stature in the last decade, with his commercial art transcending the boundary.
I've always been drawn to Man Ray, born August 27, 1890.
mike ~ Yes, the three artists I've featured demonstrate just one facet of Virgo. I've just found an old post from the Oxford Astrologer mentioning some other Virgo types, these from times further past:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.oxfordastrologer.com/2011/09/virgo-self-portraits-perfect-wits.html
Sonny ~ My husband is keen on an exactly square shape - that always puzzles me - the "why" of it. I don't think we have anything round at all, but it's not from choice - just the way the cookie crumbled. :-)
ReplyDelete