Heat waves in a swamp

Published in 2009 by DelMonico Books to accompany a major traveling exhibition, Heat Waves in a Swamp: The Paintings of Charles Burchfield serves as a definitive monograph on the American visionary artist. The volume was produced to recontextualize Burchfield’s work, moving beyond his reputation as a regionalist painter to highlight the psychological depth, rhythmic abstraction, and profound connection to the natural world present throughout his career.

The book features contributions from scholars who examine Burchfield’s unique stylistic development, particularly his transition from early, evocative watercolors to his expansive, expressive landscapes. It highlights his intentional focus on capturing the unseen energy of the woods and weather, often utilizing patterns and distortions to evoke sensory experiences. The publication was widely praised for its high-quality reproductions and its success in elevating Burchfield’s status within the canon of 20th-century American art.