The author of the paintings is big eyes Margaret Keene. Big eyes Margaret Keene. A selection of the most remarkable paintings by Margaret Keane

Since 2012, Tim Burton (Hollywood) has been filming a film about the artist Margaret Keane (Amy Adams), who has been a Jehovah's Witness for over 40 years. In Awake! On July 8, 1975, her detailed biography was published.

The film is history.

Biography of Margaret Keane

My life as a famous artist.

Big eyes, why?

Always “Why?” These questions, it seems to me, were later reflected in the eyes of the children in my paintings, which seem to be addressed to the whole world. The gaze was described as penetrating the soul. They seemed to reflect the spiritual alienation of most people today, their longing for something outside of what this system offers.

From sad eyes to happy eyes

Painting by Margaret Keane - "Love changes the world."

Margaret Keane today

Amy Adams studies with Margaret Keane at her studio in preparation for her role in Big Eyes.
Here is Margaret Keane at the Museum contemporary art.

December 15, 2014 in New York.

" Stand up for your rights, be brave, and don't be afraid "

Margaret Keane

" I hope the film will help people never lie. Never! One tiny lie can turn into terrible, terrible things."Keen tells Entertainment Weekly.

The purpose of this article is not to encourage you to watch the film, since in the film they will not say a word that she is a Jehovah's Witness. The film tells the story of Margaret's life before she became a Witness. But maybe, with the help of this upcoming film, one of us can start a good conversation with someone about the truth.

A selection of the most remarkable paintings Margaret Keane

Margaret Keane is a famous American artist who is known for her amazing portraits of women and children with big eyes.

Margaret D. H. Keene was born in 1927 in Nashville, Tennessee. Her paintings became popular in the 50s, but for a long time were sold under the name of her husband Walter Keene. Since in those days there was a prejudiced attitude towards women’s art in society, and no one took it seriously, it was decided to pass off the artist’s husband as the author. Only in 1986, after a divorce and third marriage, Margaret Keane made up her mind and announced that all the paintings that Walter was still considered the author of were actually painted by her. Since Walter refused to admit this fact, Margaret sued him. After lengthy proceedings, the judge suggested painting a portrait of a child with big eyes right in the courtroom. Walter cited shoulder pain, and Margaret took only 53 minutes to present the finished work. The court recognized Margaret Keane as the author of all the paintings and ordered compensation of $4 million. Four years later, the Federal Court of Appeal overturned the compensation but retained Margaret's credit.

Tim Burton - famous director, who was impressed by the story of the talented artist, made a film called “Big Eyes,” telling about the life of Margaret Keane, her family and her paintings. The film was released on wide screens in 2014, became very popular, received many positive feedback and received a Golden Globe award in the Best Actress category.

Poets, writers, designers, artists People creative profession constantly differ from ordinary people by inappropriate behavior at home and in secular society or excessive constraint and solitude, as can be seen in the example of the mid-20th century American artist Margaret (Amy Adams). In her workshop she creates a new style painting portraits and somehow trying to make a living. Unexpectedly, after her first unsuccessful marriage, Walter Keane (Christopher Waltz), full of energy, appears on her path, who amazes with his pressure and creative energy, oozing from him in huge streams. New family Kin stops hanging around in second-rate apartments, thanks to the successful promotion of paintings with small, big-eyed children. The success of artist Walter Keane exceeds all expectations, and the sad look of his paintings appears in almost every family. “First he sold paintings, then photographs of them, and now postcards with photographs of these paintings.”

Tim Burton has long become famous in cinema as an extraordinary personality. Eccentric characters with very unusual goals and quite decent professions constantly appear on his screen canvas. In his new picture In Big Eyes, the director left the land of rivers of blood, where people roam with blades for their fingers and make chocolate with the help of Oompa Loompas. It immerses the viewer in real world, in the fifties of the United States, when an unknown style is revealed to society portrait art. Margaret this creative person, but inside her lies a frightened animal that does not allow her to act at full strength. Throughout the entire running time, the viewer is introduced to inner world heroines and show the mental anguish associated with artistic activity. One might think that Margaret has a strong core that allows her to leave past life and go to a foreign city without work, and even with a child in your arms. "It can't be, you're in Long Beach!". But the more we plunge into the bright and colorful atmosphere, the more we become convinced of its weak character. The first meeting with Walter Keene on the artists' alley seems like a ray of hope for a bright future and successful career. But, alas, again there was a juncture, a puncture in her unhappy life. “The eyes are the mirror of the soul. That's why they're so big. I always do this. / Why are you lying?”

The moment of exposure becomes fatal in the fate of the heroine. She is unable to answer the question of who is the artist of these stunning paintings, which her husband, in turn, brazenly takes advantage of. “Unfortunately, the public is not buying women's paintings. Signed "Kin". I am Kin and you are Kin". On this basis, the artist’s personal drama begins to flare up. She cannot find a place for herself and dutifully continues to paint the glory of her second husband in red oil. She is gnawing at her conscience because of the constant lies that have no compelling reason to be born. “What’s bothering you? / I’m lying to my child. This is wrong". Throughout the entire running time, the viewer observes a deep protest against the current situation and weak character Margaret, who does not allow her to put an end to her inglorious past.

Amy Adams has already won a Golden Globe for "best female role(comedy or musical)" for his work in "Big Eyes". This is completely justified, due to the fact that the actress accurately felt the character of her character and demonstrated it on film set in front of the camera. She looks like a shy, modest girl whose basic human instincts become dulled at the slightest stress. She behaves awkwardly in public and every word she says is perceived in an uneducated, ridiculous manner of communication. I'm pleased with Amy Adams' ability to transform her facial expressions in each project, which allows her to create an impressive number of diverse characters. In Tim Burton's new film she looks pitiful and somehow downtrodden. Compassion awakens for her and at the same time reproach. The reproach is that it does not have a voice capable of defending its rights. It's flawlessly acted and the critical acclaim is justified.

home male role went to two-time Oscar winner Christopher Waltz, who ruined such interesting role. His game is like pampering a child in front of an amateur home camera. Many dramatically important episodes were spoiled by his rebellion. You can say that this is such a character and the character of Walter Keene should look exactly like this. But the result was something incomprehensible and unimpressive. During the court hearing, Waltz crossed the line between drama and Jim Carrey style and tried to create his version of the lawyer from the beloved comedy Liar Liar.

“Big Eyes” this is a picture about which one cannot say, as about other works of Tim Burton: “Not for everyone.” It develops before the viewer's eyes real story, after which you are left with wonderful emotions and high spirits. The overall bright picture with rich color tones harmonizes perfectly with the brilliant acting, in addition to the above-mentioned actor, music, cinematography and an addictive creative atmosphere.

Pop art, which appeared out of nowhere in the late 50s of the last century, and invented a new direction in painting American artist Walter Keane for a whole decade he becomes the “king of modern art”, the most famous art artist on a global scale. Nothing, it would seem, could destroy the empire created by the artist. But suddenly shocking facts surfaced, and the whole world froze in anticipation of an answer to the question: who is really behind the paintings depicting touching and sentimental children and women with exaggerated “big eyes” that look like aliens.

Who is the real genius anyway?

Margaret and Walter Keene, having met at an exhibition in 1955, soon got married. By that time, Margot was divorced, had a small daughter, and was an aspiring artist. And Walter was a very talented entrepreneur, so he immediately calculated his benefits from this marriage. He responded enthusiastically about artistic works wife, inspired to create new ones.

Soon Walter, with the permission of his wife, began selling paintings near the entrance to one of the clubs in San Francisco. Trade brought good money. For now, Margot was completely in the dark and didn’t know what her husband was up to, what kind of scam he had dragged her into. And when everything came to light, the artist was shocked: Walter, when selling her paintings, passed them off as his own works.

Margot tried to defend her right to authorship, but her husband said that the scam had gone too far, and exposure would threaten legal action. He spent a long time trying to persuade his wife not to make public the fact of pseudo-authorship. One of the compelling arguments that society does not accept women in the field of art and will never accept them forced Margaret to agree to remain silent.

In the first half of the 60s there was a peak in popularity and demand for paintings painted by Margot. Reproductions of her creations sold millions of copies, and the heroes of the paintings were depicted wherever possible: on calendars, postcards and even kitchen aprons. The original paintings themselves were sold out at lightning speed for a lot of money. They said about Walter Keane, posing as an author: “...he sells paintings. And pictures of paintings. And postcards of pictures of pictures.” The impostor made a decisive bet on the art of PR and was right.

And the artist worked on her masterpieces for 16 hours every day, while her husband, reveling in fame and recognition, having constant connections on the side, led idle image life.

In 1964, Walter demanded that Margot create an extraordinary creation that would immortalize his name in world art. Margot had no choice but to create such a masterpiece. It was a huge painting “Tomorrow Forever”. It shocked everyone with its tragedy: a whole column of walking children of different races with sad faces and big eyes. This work was assessed extremely negatively by art critics. Margot's husband was furious.

big eyes" to the press. Walter Keene is furious and furious, insults and threatens his ex-wife with violence.

The trial was carried out in court, and the whole world then, with bated breath, was waiting for the outcome. The judge resorted to simple way judge the former spouses by requiring the plaintiff and defendant to draw the child’s face with characteristic eyes. What Margot did superbly: the artist proved the authorship of her works right during the process, drawing a baby with big eyes in just 53 minutes. But Walter refused, citing shoulder pain.

Margaret Keane did not challenge the court's decision. "I do not need money,- she said. - I just wanted everyone to know that the paintings were mine." And she also added: “My participation in deception lasted for twelve years and is something I will forever regret. However, it taught me the value of being truthful and that neither fame, nor love, nor money, nor anything else is worth a bad conscience.”

Since then, not so sad and melancholic children and women looked from Margot’s paintings; the shadow of a smile could already be seen on their faces.
Over the years, interest in Margaret's paintings gradually began to fade. The public, fed up with “big eyes,” was looking for new idols in art.
A best works artists have found their refuge in museums of modern art in the USA and many capitals of the world. On auction togas" big eyes" Margaret Keene sells for hundreds of thousands of dollars.

https://static.kulturologia.ru/files/u21941/Margaret-Keane-0033.jpg" alt="Directed by Tim Burton. ¦ Photo: artchive.ru." title="Directed by Tim Burton. ¦ Photo: artchive.ru." border="0" vspace="5">!}

Announcement of the film “Big Eyes” directed by Tim Burton in video:

This year in September Margaret will turn 90 years old, she lives with her husband in North Carolina in the USA, and sometimes paints her paintings with “big eyes”.

Fans of the dark master are looking forward to Tim Burton's newest film, sometimes admiring a selection of very large, very peculiar, so familiar eyes.

The title of the film is "Big Eyes". It tells the story of husband and wife two artists, Margaret and Walter Keene, who rose to fame in the 1950s and '60s. Their theme was children and girls with eyes like a doe, now they resemble precious moments XX - th century. Those moments in which these eyes were a symbol of a now bygone era.

Reading the story of the life and joint work of two artists, you understand and feel the eerie character of the heroes of the paintings - sweet, sweet, but demonic - it seems that they are a mirror of the relationship between Keene and his wife.

One day they found themselves in court, proving to the world who the real author of Big Eye was. Was it Walter, the public face of the Keane kingdom? Or Margaret, a housewife, as her husband claimed, she could not even draw a sunset?

Margaret's life was not so easy, and she spoke up. "For many years, I allowed my husband to take credit for my paintings. But one day, unable to bear the deception any longer, I left him and my home in California and moved to Hawaii." In 1965, she received a divorce. And in 1970, she admitted on a radio show that all the “eyes” of the paintings were hers.

In response, Walter compared himself to Rembrandt, El Greco and Michelangelo, and said that he was "amazed" by Margaret's proclamations. A solution was found - an artistic duel in front of the judges. But Walter didn't come! He stated that he had a shoulder injury and could not write. And Margaret, in front of the jury, calmly and quickly - in just 53 minutes, wrote another Big Eyes, which ended the dispute.

The court ordered Walter to pay $4 million in damages in 1986.

There were a lot of interesting things in this story, and I think it’s better to watch the film, the premiere of which - hurray (!), is gradually approaching! Tim Burton promised it for Christmas and recently confirmed his promise.

We are waiting for a film in which the story will be disturbing, romantic and, they say, simply creepy. And let's enjoy it to the fullest biographical work Burton, starring Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz.
I hope that “Big Eyes” will also appear in cinemas this December.

But how good are these works? Then Adam Parfrey called them "saccharine, kitsch, madness", the bishop called them "weepy folk art".Meanwhile, the buyer continued to absorb ineverything, from postcards to large canvases.

Now many critics call these works delightful masterpieces, and Margaret Keane's paintings are in state collections Worldwide: National Museum contemporary art, Madrid; National Museum Western art, Tokyo; National Museum of Modern Art, Mexico City; Musee Communal Des Beaux-Arts, Bruges; Tennessee Museum fine arts, Nashville, Tennessee; Brooks Memorial Museum, Memphis, Tennessee; Hawaii State Capitol, Honolulu; United Nations, New York and others.

So, December is the month of the premiere, and of course, the film should be amazing, because in that bizarre universe created by Tim Burton with his inimitable black humor, there is not a single dull moment!