Celmins, Vija | Comet, 1992 — available on Composition Gallery

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From Skowhegan Suite. Linocut, on Fabriano Tiepolo paper. Signed and numbered. Image: 14 1/4 x 16 3/4 in. (36.2 x 42.5 cm). Sheet: 20 1/2 x 22 3/4 in. (52.1 x 57.8 cm). Published by The Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, Maine, with Oberon Press, New York blindstamp. Literature: Samantha Rippner p. 52

Comet (1992) by Vija Celmins is a linocut that reflects the artist’s long-standing fascination with natural phenomena such as night skies, oceans, and desert surfaces. Known for her meticulous and meditative approach, Celmins creates images that appear both observational and abstract. The composition presents a vast, dark field filled with countless small, carefully rendered points of light, evoking a star-filled night sky. Subtly embedded within this field is a faint streak—a comet—barely distinguishable from the surrounding stars. This understated presence invites close, sustained viewing, encouraging the viewer to slow down and engage with the work’s quiet complexity. Celmins avoids dramatic contrast or narrative emphasis, instead focusing on repetition, detail, and surface. The image resists a clear focal point, creating a sense of infinite space and stillness. The viewer is drawn into a contemplative experience, where perception becomes gradual and immersive.

Vija Celmins (Latvia/USA, 1938) is a celebrated artist known for her meticulous drawings and paintings of natural phenomena, such as ocean waves, starry skies, and desert landscapes. Using graphite and oil, she achieves stunning realism while evoking timelessness and stillness. Her works are highly influential in contemporary art.

Vija Celmins

Comet, 1992

Name: Comet, 1992
SKU: 16717
Price: 32500.00 USD
Availability: InStock

Form

Limited Edition Print

Limited Edition PrintA limited edition print is one of a number of prints made at the same time from one printmaking plate. A fixed number are made and signed by the artist, indicating the printing order, using the format 1/10, meaning first of ten prints.

Medium

Linocut

LinocutLinocut is a printmaking technique similar to woodcut, where a sheet of linoleum is used as the relief surface. The design is carved into the linoleum using a V-shaped gouge or chisel, creating raised areas that form a mirror image of the final print. Ink is applied to the raised areas with a roller, and the linoleum sheet is then pressed onto fabric or paper. The printing can be done by hand or with a press.

Edition

Edition of 80 + 12 APs

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I am not a very confessional artist, you know. I do not ever reveal what I am feeling in my work, or what I think about the President. I use nature. I use found images.
- Vija Celmins

Vija Celmins is a Latvia-born artist who works in several mediums, including printmaking, charcoal, and oil painting. Early in her career, Celmins created several pop sculptures and representational paintings. Much of her work reflects the photo-realistic, abstract, and minimalist styles, and nature and natural phenomena are themes depicted in many of her pieces. She is well-known for focusing on organic details and embracing natural imperfection. Celmins earned her bachelor of fine arts degree from the John Herron Institute, and she received her masters of fine arts from the University of California, Los Angeles. She has been the recipient of many prestigious awards, including a John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur fellowship and a 1996 American Academy of Arts and Letters Award. The work of Vija Celmins is currently on display in numerous fine arts museums across the United States and Europe, including New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art and Museum of Modern Art, Centre Pompidou in Paris, and Kunstmuseum Winterthur in Switzerland.

Artwork by Marcel Duchamp

What is Found Object?

A found object is a term used to describe a man-made or natural object, or a fragment of one, that an artist discovers or purchases and keeps for inspiration or as a work of art. The artist may also modify the object or incorporate it into a collage or assemblage, transforming it into a new piece of art.

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Vija Celmins

Comet, 1992

52.1 x 57.8 cm

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Vija Celmins