Existing comment:
Abstract Drawings:
American artists began to experiment with abstraction in the early twentieth century. Some of their drawings were preparatory for works of art in another medium, such as Al Held's study for a mural or Dwinnel Grant's drawing for a film, both in this exhibition. Charles Selinger's series of illustrations for a selection of poems by William Blake was inspired by the characters Blake created.
Most abstract drawings were created as independent works of art in which the artists explored an idea or the relationship of forms and colors, as in John Ferren's watercolor. In many instances, references to objects, figures, or places remain visible, but they have been transformed into compositions that have only passing resemblance to the source of their inspiration, such as Willem de Kooning's Woman. The collages by Joseph Cornell were based on Rorschach inkblots that were then transformed into images by the artist's imagination and def addition of line.
The drawings in this exhibition reveal an important segment of the works on paper in the permanent collection of the museum. From simple sketches to highly finished compositions, they represent the rich possibilities of abstraction as a mode of artistic expression. |