Ida Picker: Secret Spaces

During the COVID-19 lockdown, Ida Picker began her Necessary Things series—expressive, boldly colored studies of her household objects. These works evolved into an exploration of the interconnections between humans and machines, evoking machine-inspired animate beings exploding with tubes and wires. Against the backdrop of global warming and political catastrophe, her paintings became more surrealistic and abstract. In the works on display, Picker presents strange creatures evolved from machines and nature in illogical settings, reflecting her struggle with authoritarianism and the horrific wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. Picker’s art is a statement of courage and hope. In her focus on color and form, she expresses joy and outrage.