Robert Motherwell: Abstract Expressionism
Bernard Jacobson Gallery announce Robert Motherwell: Abstract Expressionism an exhibition investigating the various forms of abstract expressionist art from Motherwell’s distinguished career. The display will feature a selection of masterpieces in painting and collage including his renowned final collage The Blue Guitar a reference to Picasso’s famous blue painting period.
The pieces give an insight into an era of unparalleled creative evolution, invention and energy in America, which was also seen in the work of the Beat poets and free jazz. These artists were part of a pivotal time in contemporary art’s history and when Motherwell arrived in New York to study art in 1940 he was overwhelmed by the sense of experimentation around him. Motherwell later became a cornerstone of the group later known as the Abstract Expressionists that included infamous names such as Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning. Motherwell carved out his an individual style through his exclusive interest for abstraction rather than beginning in figuration. In his pursuit of Abstraction, Motherwell began to adapt his work to create a new kind of dynamic, abstract painting.
Exhibition highlights include A View Number 1 (1958) that Motherwell himself considered a career defining piece and has appeared in almost every major retrospective of his work. A recurring theme for Motherwell is represented in The Studio (1987), which can be interpreted has having elements of a self-portrait, along with referencing Matisse’s Red Studio and Picasso’s The Studio. These pieces along with the rest of the display provide an opportunity for in depth look into the art of one of the key members of the Abstract Expressionist movement.
Bernard Jacobson Gallery, 16 September – 26 November 2016
28 Duke Street St James’s,
London SW1Y 6AG
Image: Robert Motherwell, The Studio, 1987, courtesy Bernard Jacobson Gallery
