WILLIAMSBURG — A new exhibition at the Muscarelle Museum of Art spotlights influential women in Abstract Expressionism, presenting nearly 50 paintings by 32 artists in “Abstract Expressionists: The Women,” on view Jan. 23-April 26.
According to the museum, the exhibition underscores the critical contributions these artists made to the growth of Abstract Expressionism through works that span the movement’s formative years in the late 1930s, peak visibility in the postwar era and later evolution through 1977. It added by examining stylistic crosscurrents among artists working in New York, California and Paris, the exhibition situates these painters within a broader international dialogue that defined mid-century abstraction.
The paintings are drawn from the Christian Levett Collection and the FAMM — Female Artists of the Mougins Museum in France — and organized by the American Federation of Arts.
“It’s an important moment of recognition that we get to be part of at the Muscarelle,” said David Brashear, the museum’s director. “For many years, the story of Abstract Expressionism has overlooked its women pioneers. ‘Abstract Expressionists: The Women’ offers a more complete understanding of the artistic movement, highlighting the contributions of the ambitious and visionary women artists who were creating work alongside their more celebrated male peers. We hope our visitors find inspiration in both the powerful artworks and the stories behind them.”
Originally planned to span galleries nine-11, Branshear said the decision was made to expand “Abstract Expressionists” to include galleries five and six after viewing it on display at the Wichita Art Museum last year.
Works on view showcase the breadth of approaches women brought to Abstract Expressionism, from the vigorous engagement with movement and form in Elaine de Kooning’s “The Bull” (1959) to the emotional force in Joan Mitchell’s large-scale canvas “When They Were Gone” (1977) to Helen Frankenthaler’s innovative soak-stain method that created radiant hues in “Bending Blue” (1977).
The museum added the presentation is enhanced by contextual multimedia content, including an audio tour hosted by Bloomberg Connects and documentary videos, allowing visitors to engage more deeply with the artworks on view. There will also be free public tours of the exhibition available Tuesdays through Saturdays at 11 a.m., 1 and 2 p.m., and on Sundays at 1 and 2 p.m. All tours last approximately 30 minutes.
The exhibition is accompanied by a free educational brochure produced by the AFA featuring lavish illustrations and a scholarly essay by Guest Curator Ellen G. Landau. An exhibition catalogue provides greater insights into the world-class Levett Collection through in-depth analysis of each artist’s practice and rich reproductions of their work, according to the Muscarelle.
For more information about the exhibit or the museum’s other offerings, visit its official website.
