On Land, Sea and in the Air
Artist
Peter Busa
(American, 1914-1985)
CultureAmerican
Date1944
MediumOil on canvas
Dimensions37 5/8 x 40 5/8 in. (95.6 x 103.2 cm)
Overall, Frame: 37 x 41 x 1 1/2 in. (94 x 104.1 x 3.8 cm)
Overall, Frame: 37 x 41 x 1 1/2 in. (94 x 104.1 x 3.8 cm)
InscribedSigned lower right: Busa '44
Credit LineGift of Walter P. Chrysler, Jr.
Object number71.2802
On View
Chrysler Museum of Art, Gallery 115-2 - Wonderstudio
Label TextPeter Busa American, 1914–1985 On Land, Sea and In the Air, 1944 Oil on canvas Birds and fish give the impression of a landscape to this patchwork of shapes and colors. Peter Busa began this work by making long, continuous swirling lines at random on the canvas. Like Arshile Gorky and other Surrealists, he believed that this process, known as automatic drawing, could release unconscious ideas and visions. The abstract animal forms that emerge resemble Native American totem imagery from the Pacific Northwest, familiar to Busa from visits to New York’s Museum of Natural History. Their worrisome expressions, along with the work’s military title, may have been inspired by the ongoing battles of World War II. Gift of Walter P. Chrysler, Jr. 71.2802 Exhibition History"Peter Busa," Chrysler Art Museum, Provincetown, Ma., 1964. "Remix: A Fresh Look At Our Modern And Contemporary Art Collections," Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, Virginia, November 2, 2011 - March 17, 2012. "American Treasures at the Willoughby-Baylor House," Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, VA, January 2 - December 1, 2013.
