Women of Abstract Expressionism at DAM
Revolutionary exhibit at the Denver Arts Museum is the first ever to focus soley on female abex artists of the 40s and 50s.
When you think of abstract expressionism, you probably think of men like Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, and Robert Motherwell — white men who were hard drinkers and rebels against the establishment, men who embodied the man’s-man, man-about-town ideal of the post-War era.
But the art movement was much more diverse, in both color and gender, than standard art history books would lead one to believe. This year, the Denver Art Museum is taking a small step toward rectifying that omittance by presenting the first ever exhibition dedicated to women abstract expressionist painters.
Abstract expressionists were known for their monumentally large canvases, sweeping gestural brushstrokes, emphasis on surface, and incorporation of spontaneity — for example, the splatter technique of Pollock. In the writings of the day, their work was framed in masculine terms: that it was because they were men that they were able to break down the barriers of traditional art and form a new, completely American, art movement all their own.
The framing of that rather fantastical story left a lot of people out of the picture, including women. Though you aren’t likely to hear about it in art history books, there were many women abex painters exhibiting in galleries and participating in the movement. They weren’t taken very seriously, and sometimes even faced misogyny from their male colleagues, but they stubbornly held their ground. Now, sixty years later, they’re finally gaining recognition in the art world.
The Denver Art Museum is featuring just 12 of these women, some of whom will be familiar names to those familiar with modern art: Lee Krasner, the wife of Jackson Pollock; Elaine de Kooning, the wife of Willem de Kooning; Helen Frankenthaler; and Joan Mitchell. Yet there are many other artists who, despite their obvious skill, remain largely unknown to the public, and it is actually the inclusion of these painters that elevates Women of Abstract Expressionism from merely a good art exhibit to one that’s an absolute must-see. It’s an exhibition that offers not just elucidation but discovery and surprise.
One of the painters who’s guaranteed to become your new favorite is Ethel Schwabacher. A student of psychoanalytic theory and surrealism, her paintings were inspired by gardens, nature, and Greek myth. “Autumn Leaves” and “Pennington I/Pellham II” are full of rich, saturated colors that seem to glow with their own light.
The DAM is not just exhibiting these artists, but has purchased eight of the works on display for their permanent collection, and produced an original video featuring interviews with the artists especially for the exhibition.
Judith Godwin, who was able to attend the opening of the exhibit, was inspired by dance and Zen Buddhism. Her painting, “Woman,” is intriguing because it rejects all the tropes of traditional female portraiture and nudes, using strong angles and straight lines. Compare that to Lee Krasner’s “The Seasons,” a gigantic piece that recalls rich botanical and feminine forms in swirls of reds and greens. These are very different paintings, yet both comment in some way on femininity and women’s place in the world.
For the more well-known artists in the exhibition, the DAM was able to borrow many of their best-known works, as well as earlier examples showing their development into abstract expressionism. “The Seasons” by Krasner is a prime example of this; and in the Helen Frankenthaler gallery, there’s “Jacob’s Ladder,” which is probably her most famous abex piece.
And then there’s the riveting “Hudson River Day Line” by Joan Mitchell, a wash of blues and golds that demonstrates the influence of Claude Monet. Mitchell, known for her irascible personality, was quoted as saying of painting, “The moment you put the blah blah blah on it you destroy the whole thing.” It’s a bit ironic, then, that her biggest influence was poetry. Her paintings are a visual sonnet of gorgeous color, quiet and beautiful and emotional all at the same time.
Most of these women operated out of New York, which isn’t surprising, seeing as how Abstract Expressionism is frequently called “the New York School.” But New York wasn’t the only hub for abstract expressionism: there was another abex center on the West Coast, in San Francisco. Women here faced less gender discrimination and a stronger sense of community, and were thus were able to develop their careers and painting styles with greater freedom. Jay Defeo’s “Incision” is an absolute knock-out piece, irresistibly sculptural and thickly textured, looking almost like a cave. Sonia Gechtoff’s “The Beginning,” on the opposite side of the gallery from “Incision,” balances it out with a soft fan of rich blues and reds.
The DAM is not just exhibiting these artists, but has purchased eight of the works on display for their permanent collection, and produced an original video featuring interviews with the artists especially for the exhibition.
The women of abstract expressionism were trailblazers, not just in their art, but also in the way they lived. Women of Abstract Expressionism is undeniable evidence of their participation and talent, filled with rarely-seen works of art that are just as fresh and exciting as they were when they were first painted. As Lee Krasner once said, “I’m always going to be Mrs. Jackson Pollock–that’s a matter of fact–(but) I painted before Pollock, during Pollock, after Pollock.” It’s that matter-of-fact tenacity that makes this exhibit possible, and makes these women true inspirations.
Women of Abstract Expressionism will run on the fourth floor of Denver Art Museum’s Hamilton Building, June 12th-September 25th. Visit www.denverartmuseum.org for more details.
