I had the best day at the Abstract Expressionist exhibit at the MoMA on Sunday. Abstract Expressionism surged in the 1940's as a reaction to the atrocities of WWII. It was the first truly American art movement - the artists were focused on expressing basic human ideals while avoiding form. Many of them formed The Club, which boasted over 150 members at it's peak. They met in Greenwich Village (where I live!) and basically changed the concept and definition of art. It was an incredible time of great creativity and it spanned the entire 1940's, dying out in the early 1950's.
Willem de Kooning has always been a favorite of mine, perhaps incongruently since his later work is widely known for being hateful towards women. More kindly, it's interpreted as a manifestation of modern man's sexual fears - the interpretation to which I give credence. Painting was created in 1948, two years before he attempted his first and most famous work, Woman I. He's kind of the bad boy of Abstract Expressionism (no wonder I like him!) since his work toed the line between human form and abstraction. With his Woman paintings I - VI, created in the 1950's, he caused quite the sensation and pretty much divorced himself from Abstract Expressionism. He's still always referenced as one of the founders of the movement, however.
Ad Reinhardt does incredible things with color - most of his paintings are too difficult to convey online, since he experiments with very subtle color changes. Some of his best work looks like a large black canvas from afar, but when you get up close you can see the subtle differences in the blacks he used... The way he describes the different shades of black is so beautiful. "There is black which is old and a black which is fresh. Lustrous black and dull black, black in sunlight and black in shadow." Of course, I'm a fan!
Jackson Pollack was one of the few artists to experience fame while still alive. He created this painting in 1950, at the height of his fame. He'd modified his style from the earlier and quite famous 'drip' paintings of which we're all familiar. I love what he wrote to his friend about his new style, "I've had a period of drawing on canvas in black - with some of my early images coming thru [sic] - think the non-objectivists will find them disturbing - and the kids who think it simple to splash a Pollack out." There's nothing I find more distasteful than people who say, "I could do that!" when viewing a famous work. I love that Pollack was aware of his detractors and confronted them. Standing in front of this work, you see the incredible talent he had for manipulating the paint. There are so many different textures conveying an incredible shape and movement and power. Go see it in person!
And finally, this. Sadly, I do not recall who created it, but I freaking loved it. My photo does not do it justice - it's a 3-D sculpture created out of a fishing line type string, illuminated from above. Just beautiful.
*scorpio*
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