Artists working in the United States in the later 20th century continued to develop the innovative sensibilities of their mid-century forebears, challenging audiences with ever -changing notions of the appearance and the purpose of ‘Art.’ In consideration of the given image, please compose a response* that addresses the following points:
- What about this work references the ‘Abstract Expressionism’ movement? Consider paintings of the later 1940s/early 1950s by artists such as Pollock, Krasner, and Lewis.
- How is this work also a rejection of the ‘formalist purity’ that was celebrated in association with Abstract Expressionist paintings? Describe what you see that ‘goes beyond’ a painting.
- How do you interpret this piece in relation to its specific context? What does the artist seem to communicate about ‘life in urban America’ in 1955?