Daura Opens New Exhibition of Artist Philip Geiger

On Saturday, the Daura Museum of Art held its opening reception for its newest exhibition, “Retrospective,” a collection of artworks by Philip Geiger. The exhibition is in partnership with Steven Francis Art and will be available for viewing until December 12.

“We are excited to host Philip Geiger: Retrospective this semester,” said Brooke Marcy, Director of the Daura Museum of Art. “His artistic roots are grounded in historical references, yet he builds upon the mastery of the past to forge his own uniquely poetic and beautifully executed paintings.”

The gallery features 74 works of art by Geiger, which are divided into two periods of his life: early works and contemporary pieces.

Geiger, who was a professor at the University of Virginia for over 30 years, has been featured in galleries in New York, Richmond, and Charlotte. His work has also been reviewed in publications such as The New York Times and The New Criterion.

“A lot of these high-end artists don’t show regionally,” said Steven Francis Coates, who is the owner of Steven Francis Fine Art. “To help him find a retrospective is a big deal, and it was great timing for the university to have this come together.”

According to Coates, the oil paintings span nearly five decades of Geiger’s work, some of which were completed earlier this year.

“They’re like windows that open up to another world,” Coates said about Geiger’s paintings. “Even the small paintings you feel like you can into this other thing that’s happening.”

According to Geiger’s artist statement, “My work has always seemed to swing between the simple and spontaneous and the more complicated. Over time, I see my work as having shifted from public spaces to private, from masses of people to small groups, from the external life to the internal.” 

To see Geiger’s artwork, visit the Daura Museum of Art.