“The act of painting is for me, as a woman, an act of freedom.” – Judith Godwin

Heather James Fine Art presents a celebration of some of the most prominent Abstract Expressionist Women. Despite the masculine myths formed around Abstract Expressionism, women were a central component, leading and influencing it.

What is Abstract Expressionism? From the trauma of World War II and within an uncertain present, the movement centered on the emotional or psychological effect of painting. Its adherents created spontaneous brushstrokes or mark-making, placing supremacy on the artist. Abstract Expressionists could further be classified into the Action Painters with their gestural strokes and Color Field artists with their tonal planes. It is for these reasons that the movement was often associated with a heroic and brash masculinity of New York that would lead art to a new level.

But, how much of this is truth, how much was it an effort to propagate American ideals, how much was an unconscious systemic denial of the contributions of women and artists of color? Abstract Expressionism included and was led by women. Moreover, San Francisco and the Bay Area produced a unique school of Abstract Expressionism that developed concurrent to New York, not in response to it.

These artists are important, not just because they are women, but because they pioneered, transformed, and directed the Abstract Expressionist movement. For example, Perle Fine and Mercedes Matter were part of “The Club,” the center of the Abstract Expressionism. Matter even started the New York Studio School which operates to this day. Second and third generation artists including Grace Hartigan and Judith Godwin expanded the visual vocabulary and creative possibilities.

Why is this important? By not challenging received knowledge, we would have lost a large chunk of history and of art. We get a fuller and more complex picture that allows us to understand ourselves and a wider swath of work to enjoy. In particular, with the Abstract Expressionists, the erasure of the women allowed for a singular vision of masculine America. By re-introducing women, we can fully enjoy both the radical nature but also the historical use of Abstract Expressionism, the development of its style and its influences and impact. Myth transforms to something closer to reality.

To dive into more of the legacies of some of these artists, visit the pages for our exhibitions, “Elaine and Willem de Kooning: Painting in the Light” and “Mercedes Matter: A Miraculous Quality”.