Haggerty Museum of Art Marquette University Motherwell, Nevelson and Frankenthaler Gifts from the Lillian Rojtman Berkman Collection February 22 - May 20, 2001

On Paper: Motherwell, Frankenthaler, Nevelson

When artists transfer their knowledge Nevelson prepared herself for a career and skills as painters or sculptors to paper, in the arts, initially focused on perfor- the results are often remarkable. Paper mance—as an actress, dancer, singer—as offers a freedom and flexibility that invites well as a painter, as she studied and worked the artists to explore new ways of making in New York, also in Munich, Berlin, and images using ink and various Vienna, before turning to sculpture. Hans techniques. The art-making process Hofmann was her principal mentor in the becomes more social. Robert Motherwell visual arts, first in Germany and later in New Robert Motherwell, Signs on White, 1981 was attracted to printmaking because col- York where both were forced to emigrate by Lift ground etching and aquatint 35/59 laboration with master printmakers freed the political threat in Europe. 20 x 28 in., 2000.24.12 him from the isolation of , and for Apart from their having been linked both. All three appear to emphasize flatness the print’s accessibility to a wider public. together in the donor’s gift, the three artists over illusion in accordance with the tenets All three artists, Motherwell (1915-1991), share, among other things, a desire to create of abstract , although some of the (b. 1928), and Louise images without relying on inherited iconog- surface tension is achieved by a delicate Nevelson (1899-1988) are among the first raphy. In their art, the subject matter, to the interplay between physicality (flatness) of rank of mid-century contributors to modern extent that any exists, is invented in the pic- the canvas and illusion, especially in art. Motherwell and Frankenthaler are ture-making process. Spontaneity and rest- Frankenthaler’s images. All three work in known for their contributions to abstraction lessness lead to constant invention of new large and even monumental scale, while in painting, while Nevelson is best known forms. There is hardly any figurative abandoning the easel. for her wood sculptures of black and white imagery, although it is not out of the ques- A careful scrutiny will certainly uncover assemblages. tion to imagine being confronted by Jungian important differences. Motherwell and Based on their geographic and social archetypes concealed in the abstract forms, Nevelson favor black in their prints, though origins, as well as their beginnings in art, the or even an occasional figurative representa- not exclusively, while Frankenthaler’s grouping of these three artists would seem tion. All three artists seem to favor organic palette often extends to beige colors, unlikely. Motherwell from the West Coast over geometric construction of the picture mauves, greens, oranges, or unusual mixes and Frankenthaler from the East Coast are space, but Motherwell at least works with of these. Motherwell’s images are from the from privileged American backgrounds, interior, psychological states, while while Nevelson who was born in the Frankenthaler often uses nature as a source Ukraine was for a time in 1937 employed in for her imagery. By comparison to the other the United States Works Progress two, Nevelson’s two dimensional images Administration. rely more on linear structure and texture Motherwell was initially attracted to phi- with a greater degree of illusion than is losophy and psychoanalysis before found in the other two artists’ work. encountering art historian Meyer Shapiro While it is not necessary to make the who encouraged him to become a painter. case here for abstraction in art, it is useful to His work is strongly influenced by the ask what can the viewer take away from Surrealists through Matta and other con- experiencing these works? Possibly the tacts, and by Asian calligraphic arts and Zen. most important thought is to realize again Frankenthaler, the younger of the three, that art and life are not limited to inherited focused on painting from the beginning, and ways of thinking and being. It is possible to evolved through a series of painterly influ- invent new ways of making and appreciat- ences from Kandinsky to Rufino Tamayo to ing art for those who are willing to suspend Pollock who, along with the critic Clement their dependency on the familiar. Greenberg, was her principal mentor. She is best known for her experiments with stain , Noble Lady, 1953-55 Curtis L. Carter painting. Etching and aquatint 2/20 19 3/4 x 15 1/2 in., 2000.24.21 Director Checklist A la pintura portfolio, 1971 Solid Reflections, 1953-55 24 leaves with 21 color aquatints and Etching and aquatint 7/20 The Collection represents gifts from letterpress 27 1/4 x 21 3/4 in. Lillian Rojtman Berkman 25 1/2 x 38 in. each 2000.24.18 2000.24.9.1-.24 Helen Frankenthaler Jungle Figures, 1953-55 American (b.1928) Untitled, 1972-73 Etching and aquatint 7/20 Composition Lift ground etching and aquatint 18/50 23 1/4 x 19 3/4 in. Lithograph 81/100 36 x 24 in. 2000.24.19 28 x 21 7/8 in. 2000.24.10 2000.24.1 Trees, 1953-55 Soot Black Stone, #s 2, 4, and 5, 1973 Etching and aquatint 6/20 Yellow Jack, 1987 Three lithographs (annotated PPII) 13 3/4 x 21 3/4 in. Lithograph and stencil 8/12 30 x 18 1/8 in. 2000.24.20 29 3/4 x 38 in. 2000.24.11.1-.3 2000.24.2 Noble Lady, 1953-55 Signs on White, 1981 Etching and aquatint 2/20 Untitled, 1991 Lift ground etching and aquatint 35/59 19 3/4 x 15 1/2 in. Monotype 20 x 28 in. 2000.24.21 38 x 25 in. 2000.24.12 2000.24.3 Composition In Celebration, 1975 Lithograph (trial proof) Tout a Coup, 1987 Offset color lithograph 97/200 22 x 17 in. Color aquatint 43/46 24 x 12 in. 2000.24.22 66 x 33 1/2 in. 2000.24.13 2000.24.4 The Search, 1953-55 Louise Nevelson Etching and aquatint 2/20 Robert Motherwell American (1899-1988) 21 3/4 x 17 5/8 in. American (1915-1991) Distant Land 2000.24.23 Calligraphy, 1965-66 Painted black wood sculpture Lithograph 51/80 22 1/4 x 50 x 8 1/4 in. The Magic Garden in Sea-Land, 1953-55 15 x 22 in. 2000.24.14 Etching and aquatint 8/20 2000.24.5 14 3/4 x 16 1/2 in. Blue and Black 2000.24.24 Summertime in Italy #12, 1965-66 Color lithograph (Bon a tirer Lithograph (trial proof) printer’s proof) Haggerty Museum Staff 29 x 20 in. 33 x 23 in. Curtis L. Carter, Director 2000.24.6 2000.24.15 Lee Coppernoll, Assistant Director Annemarie Sawkins, Associate Curator To Arp, 1966 Dawnlight, 1965 Lynne Shumow, Curator of Education Lithograph (proofs) Lithograph 1/8 Jerome Fortier, Assistant Curator 10 x 22 in. each 20 3/4 x 25 1/2 in. James Kieselburg, II, Registrar 2000.24.7.1-.2 2000.24.16 Andrew Nordin, Preparator Tim Dykes, Assistant Preparator Untitled (from the Peace Portfolio), Innerview, 1965 Joyce Ashley, Administrative Assistant 1970 Lithograph 11/15 Nicole Hauser, Administrative Secretary Silkscreen 45/175 22 3/4 x 19 in. Jonathan Mueller, Communications Assistant 26 x 21 in. 2000.24.17 Clayton Montez, Security Officer 2000.24.8