William Baziotes was strongly influenced by Surrealist imagery, which sought to channel the unconscious as a means to unlock the power of the mind. This inspired him to develop a visual vocabulary of strange, biomorphic imaginings. Although White Bird does not depict a specific species of fowl, the large white form that dominates the center of the canvas and surrounding linear elements convey a feeling of weightlessness. The artist was also fascinated with the power of myth, stating, “The things in my paintings are intended to strike something that is an emotional involvement—that has to do with the human personality and all the mysteries of life, not simply colors or abstract balances.”

Label from Menagerie: Animals on View, March 11–June 4, 2017