Mystery of Light Composition

About Mystery of Light Composition

This contemporary cubist painting is by the highly regarded Canadian artist Otto Rogers.

A prominent Canadian artist celebrated for his own distinctive brand of contemporary artwork; the prairie-born Otto Rogers was drawn to the cubist-constructivist tradition of painting. This is a fine example of that genre—abstract shapes against an expressive slate gray background.
The palette—deep blue, black, a touch of yellow, and white aligns with the contemplative, almost spiritual quality of this painting. The recognized art critic, Clement Greenberg was early to praise Roger’s talent as a ‘big attack painter’ and described his work as “having a fullness of inspiration.’ A devout follower of the Baha’i faith, Rogers did not view art as simply a ‘decorative thing.’

“Art is a means of elevating consciousness and can reflect attributes of the soul.” Otto Rogers

Otto Rogers (1935-2019) acquired his MA in Fine Art from the University of Wisconsin and later taught at the University of Saskatchewan for 29 years. He also participated in the Emma Lake Workshops in BC which attracted some of North America’s finest artists. Rogers’ works—mixed media, paintings, and sculptures are held privately and publicly in more than 30 collections including the Art Gallery of Ontario, the National Gallery of Canada, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the Museu d'art Contemporain de Barcelona, and the National Gallery of Iceland. In 2007, a published book of his work Otto Donald Rogers, included a foreword by British sculptor Sir Anthony Caro.