The Center Obelisk
The Center Obelisk, 1986
Joan Brown (1930-1990)
Ceramic Mosaic
Donated to the City of Beverly Hills
Brown's reputation was based on her intensely painted canvases that synthesized figurative imagery with the dynamic gestures of abstract expressionism. She created a body of work distinguished by its breadth and personal vision, even though her creative output was cut short by her premature death. She was a notable member of the "second generation" of the Bay Area Figurative Movement. She achieved prominence with a style of figurative painting that combined bright color, sometimes cartoonish drawing, and personal symbolism.