LEE KRASNER AND

by Dr. Stephen Polcari, Assistant Professor, State University of at Stony Brook

A UNIVERSITY GALLERY PUBLICATION STAT~ UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT STONY BROOK 2 2 LEE KRASNER: LATE .by Stephen Polcari

Unlike others of her generation, Lee Krasner was committed to the American Abstract Artists. (Ad Reinhardt was the only other from the very beginning of her career'. As a young a., member of the Abstract Expressionist generation to join a group student in the 1930s at a time when American artists leaned more criticized tor the lack of human reference in its forms.) toward Mexican and representational art than and By 1940 Krasner was both unusually savvy and practiced in abstraction, she studied the School of Paris and the work of Oe modem idioms. That year she met John Graham, an e~patriate Chirico and Matisse. When she met In 1941, her Russian artist who played a role as mentor to the Abstract Expres­ work turned toward what would later be known as Abstract sionists, Introducing them to the latest Ideas of the School of Paris. Expressionism, and It Is as an Abstract Expressionist painter that Many of the Abstract Expressionists read his Systoms and Dialec­ she found her capacities as an artist. Krasnefs work captures the tics of Art - Krasner said It deeply impressed her - as did his turbulent questing and struggle for a mythic fecundity that is advocacy of Picasso. Freud. and Jung.• Around this time she read fundamental to Abstract Expressionism. She uniquely incorpo­ Jung's Integration of P&rsonality and liked his general ide'!S. rated a Matissean decorativeness Into that quest, resulting in a not those on art. Later she said, "In a general sense. it was his style of vitalistic coiling or spiraling - in other words, forms and universality that attracted me, the largeness of his concept, partly themes of gestation and growth. Krasnefs art Is In the end an because of my very early Interest In fairy tales and in the writings of affirmative art turning Abstract Expressionist and Pollockian Maeterlinck and Edgar Allan Poe.'• Like many Abstract Expres­ energy Into a symbolic personal and historical efflorescence. sionists in the early 1940s, she also read Baudelaire, Rimbaud, and Krasner's art was among the last flowerings of the fertile com­ Verlaine.• plex of ideas, history. and culture that constitutes Abstract Expres­ It was through Graham that Krasner met Pollock. Graham had sionism. Beginning in the 1940s. Abstract Expressionism arose as asked her to exhibit in the McMillen Gallery in January 1942. and the work of , , Jackson Pollock, and Pollock's work was Included in the show. She noticed he lived near others. with a selected heritage of themes of American art and her and went to visit him. When she met Pollock and saw his culture of the 1930s Including: history as ritual, folktale, and paintings' Independence from the early modernism with which she legend; the evolution yet continuity of human endeavor over space was absorbed. her own work was thrown into disarray. Pollock's and time, and the pattern of human experience as conflict and work caused her to break her exclusive allegiance to the School of triumph. It confronted the latest and most cataclysmic episode In Paris. She developed a personal and professional closeness to the continuing crisis of the West in the first half of the twentieth him, and they married in 1945. Her work of this time is still very century, the Second World war. and produced the most powerful Hofmannesque. consisting of still llfesand of vigorous biomorphic representation of the wafs psycho-history of struggle and hope curving shapes, but it also reflects Pollock's fusion of the motif with before Its historically-New York School of however, rejected his fundamental Interest in automatism.' and the 1950s, with which It was initially confused. although she was more acquainted with modem than he, To come to terms, absorb, and then transcend their violent she was prompted to rework her canvases so much so that they history, American artists adopted modern art as a primary means became what she called gray slabs. Few of these works survive. It of expression for the first time since Alfred Stieglitz's group was not until after 1946 lhat she could begin to emerge f rom adopted and Cubism in the first decade of the twentieth Pollock's impact. By that time, she had absorbed Pollock's linear century. Modern art became the chosen means for investigating drawing with a paint tube and began to loo!< for her own direction. and analyzing human experience In their apocalyptic time. In a series entitled Uttle tmage, of which Continuum of 1949 is Together with their study of the forms of modem art. particularly an example, Krasner presents a refined version of Pollock's 1946 Surrealism. many of the artists directly or indirectly combined transitional paintings, such as Eyes in the Heat and Shimmering such elements as the depth psychology of Freud, the philosophies substance. Krasner creates an interlocking web of lines and of culture and consciousness of Bergson and Nietzsche, and the patches that achieves the all-<>verall design that is perhaps the transformatlve criticism of Herbert Read. To this combination they most significant formal achievement of Pollock and Abstract added Interests that many American and English intellectuals Expressionist painting. The dense overlaying suggests the contin­ shared: Jungian psychology, with its affirmative view of mytho­ ual integration of pictorial elements in an endless ex.pans.ion. ritualist psychic life; the archetypal ritualistic, transformative pro­ 'Miile impressive in form, however. Continuum is more impres· cess propounded by Joseph Cempbell; T.S. Eliot's search for a sive in its statement. Its continuous web of lines and color patches revivalist spiritual tradition; and the interconnected dynamics of reveal Krasner's understanding of the fundamental stylistic theme culture. language, and history found in James Joyce. From this of an-over painting - continuity. unity, and vitality. A ..cont inuum" matrix arose the Abstract Exprec:;lonist thought and culture is one of the most fundamental Ideas of American painting in the through which Lea Krasner spoke. 1930s and 1940s, and especially of Abstract Expressionism. Bom In Brool

4 4

of of

Suggestions Suggestions . .

canvas

the the

across across

and and upwards upwards ow ow l f

shapes shapes near near

Cheney's Cheney's tor tor recapitulated recapitulated . . WV. WV.

example

magazine magazine st st i

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ll· ll·

. . Curvl ty i

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earth earth tones tones

monochrornatlc, monochrornatlc,

the the than than l1llher l1llher

American American the the of of page page

editorial editorial the the

. . 1942 1942 In In

consciousneSS ol ol

ods ods

green green and and

red red ol ol

hueS hueS

high-pitched high-pitched

appropriately appropriately n n i

per;. per;. are are forms forms

or or stages stages

multiple multiple nto nto I

was was

lran$formed lran$formed

continuum continuum

dynamic dynamic

fecund fecund

exploding exploding The The

. .

canvas

horizontal horizontal

, ,

long the the

format. format.

intense intense

the the 1940s. 1940s. early early the the In In sm sm i Surreal In In

nterest nterest I the the

With With

art. art.

modern modern of of

most most

Krasner's Krasner's

of of first first

the the

among among

Is Is Ce/e/Jrlflon Ce/e/Jrlflon . . literally absorption absorption quite quite new new the the by by 1!MOs 1!MOs the the in in modified modified

were were

ideas ideas These These

meanings meanings ts ts I and and ism ism dynam the the takes takes ·60 ·60 1959 of of Celebration Celebration

. . ilMlf

process process ic ic organ . . an an as as series) " " history history som defined defined Idea Idea an an Such Such . . future the the

blos· blos· "

or or " " pelal "

's 's T«nlin Walker Walker toward toward Bradley Bradley and and paints paints " " but but Bloom " s s ' present present and and Upton past past unites unites

that that advance advance

spiritual spiritual

as as

Seymour Seymour such such

19509 19509 the the of of and and cotleegues cotleegues cultural cultural other other ~Ike ~Ike Indicating Indicating sequences sequences blooming blooming

or or stages stages Into Into tlve tlve oeparated oeparated

of of

image

an an is is narra· narra· Hers Hers . .

unconscious the the of of ng ng i mage

energy energy

linear linear

s s ' Pollock

than than rather rather of of expansl_, expansl_, conceived conceived - biomorphic biomorphic histories histories . . Ing multipanel multipanel of of painters painters Section Section

and and

gestat· gestat· , ,

foliate

a a ng ng l impl'y

naturalistic. naturalistic. more more

is is conC8j)t conC8j)t WPA WPA . . Krasner's Krasner's example for for -

the the 1930& 1930& in in Americans Americans many many and and

Cheney Cheney

Pollock. Pollock. to to career. career. Indebted Indebted ile ile Wh

her her throughout throughout out out play play will will she she ' ' ' . enlarging

existence existence of of

pattern pattern cyclic cyclic the the of of

beginning beginning

the the

establishes establishes dlry dlry ever ever

is is which which

comprehension, comprehension,

his his

to to

geared geared

way, way,

· · Fecun

consequences. consequences. its its and and

form form

of of

blnh blnh the the of of idea idea the the

to to

eads eads l the the along along by by man man attained attained

stage stage a a

of of

accompaniment accompaniment

an an

lf lf itse

dynamism dynamism

Here Here . .

else

anything anything as as

on on i

mot

energetic energetic

much much as as than than mora mora never never are are -

experience experience and and

expression expression - pan pan

are are

tha1 tha1

ings ings be

blomorphlc blomorphlc of of

1950s) 1950s)

wor1t wor1t the the of of

his his

and and Hell Hell ,,,. ,,,. ft ft a a is is which which of of life life

spiritual spiritual

the the and and art art

; ;

change

towards towards

Eye1 Eye1

n n I

s s '

Pollock

ng ng

li eyes eyes

ecal (r

the the suggest suggest . . canw. forms forms means means Round Round are are passing passing institutions institutions ; ; . .

growth change is is

Life Life

ol ol

the the

bott«n bott«n to to

top top

fr«n fr«n

a a extending extending maelstrom maelstrom -ge -ge lr«n lr«n

: : rnetaphoB c c i

organ used used

He He . .

cnange

forms forms

Semi-abstract Semi-abstract . .

vocabulary

mature mature her her basic basic

established established

and and as as

expansion expansion

l l spiritua

advancement advancement

hlstor1cal hlstor1cal of of

conceived conceived

). ).

1938-41 of of irth irth B

and and Pollock's Pollock's

1946 1946 of of

Beginning Beginning

The The

's 's Newman

Ch-y Ch-y

." ."

Progress

Treditlon, Treditlon,

"Evolution, "Evolution, as as

Described Described 1930s. 1930s.

the the

to to

(comparable (comparable

1960. 1960. of of

Fecundity Fecundity and and

956 956 1 ol ol Birth Birth

Krasner's Krasner's

In In perwslve perwslve was was experience experience human human

expanding expanding

Interconnected, Interconnected,

. .

forms

modern modern In In

history history

of of

pattern pattern

overall overall

the the of of

concept concept

of of Idea Idea the the

(193-4), (193-4), Art Art In In

ism ism

xpression E his his In In wrote wrote

Cheney Cheney

cal cal i

mytholog

the the

clothed clothed

Krasner Krasner

her her

colleegues, colleegues,

Like Like . .

rection

Sheldon Sheldon critic critic

art art

the the

As As . .

growth

spiritual spiritual : :

ldee second second

a a

added added

· ·

resur a a then then

and and

conflict. conflict.

into into

journeying journeying a a , ,

forth setting setting a a

as as

tern tern

be be can can pattern pattern

and and

history history as as

ol ol

continuum continuum

he he t concept concept

the the To To

· · pat the the phrased phrased 1949 1949

Ft1C4S Ft1C4S ol ol a a "'°"9and "'°"9and

with with Hero Hero nftuendaf nftuendaf i

orm. orm. f and and

mage mage i

mythic mythic

very very

s s l'

Campbel Joseph Joseph

. . rebirth and and , , a a

death , , ol ol

birth

cycle cycle of of

ng ng i

virtually virtually a a became became

ety ety i

soc and and

Individual, Individual, the the

culture, culture, process process of of

· ·

consist

as as

ritual ritual and and

myth myth of of

pattern pattern standard standard the the

define define

potogista potogista

progreulve progreulve and and

dynamic dynamic

the the

murals many many In In

Pasrora/). Pasrora/).

Kamas Kamas (

anthre>­

and and ts ts is

Mytholog

ritual. ritual.

and and

tr«n tr«n psychology. psychology. , ,

logy mythO

strength strength and and

vitality vitality

renewed renewed

triumphant triumphant to to , ,

Prelude)

gic gic

(Tra

Ideas Ideas

with with it it

of of

merging merging a a but but

triumph triumph

and and , ,

struggle

beginnings, beginnings,

ife ife r st

and and ct ct i

l

conf

to to gs. gs. in

beginn

pioneer pioneer

from from

events events

of of

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of of

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1930s 1930s

the the

of of

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pattern pattern a a

Such Such

continuous continuous

a a

narrate narrate

Capitol Capitol

State State

Kansas Kansas

the the

for for

murals murals

. . an

ist ist

Expression

Abstract Abstract

most most In In found found

rebinh rebinh

and and

death, death,

ftlct, ftlct,

Topelca Topelca s s ' Curry

cycle. cycle.

complex complex

more more

a a

expressed expressed

others others , , r

11.,...

or or

cor>­ , ,

binh

nnings nnings i beg of of

pattern pattern the the dynamic dynamic

of of

version version

her her

of of

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his his

ile ile

Wh

. . life

American American

of of

patterns patterns

continuous continuous the the

ng ng l

unleas an an

death. death. • • '

Pollock

fo41owing fo41owing

1956 1956 n n . i . toward t!MOs t!MOs late late

represented represented

paintings paintings

his his the the presenl. presenl. past past to to

the the

fr«n fr«n and and

ground ground

the the

of of

picture picture

smaller smaller

her her

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moved moved

Krasner Krasner

Gradually Gradually

~ ~

back· back·

to to

foreground foreground

from from

sequences sequences

c c i

rhythm

famous famous their their n n I

and and ups ups

has has

that that

lcism lcism

dialect

a a of of

concept concept

overall overall an an

is is

So So

too too

." ." society living living a a of of complex complex a a as as and and patterns patterns

behavior behavior of of sum sum a a es es

. .

onward

culture culture defined defined

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• .

pattem

a a Into Into

organized organized

life life

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tu tu

0 0

time time

this this

from from work work

her her

of of

basis basis

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continuum continuum

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motion l l a u

ul· ul· c and and ies ies

holog

psyc

the the reveals reveals

matter matter

bject bject u

s

artist's artist's an an

, ,

him

· ·

perpet of of

realization realization

pictorial pictorial

a a in in

lied lied imp

and and

ed ed um

subs

are are time time

For For . . painting his his into into concept concept this this

p0

, ,

central as as culture culture

and and

space space

over over

experience experience

words., words., human human

other other in in

cutture. cutture.

and and American American of of advocate advocate

and and painter painter

Aeglonalist Aeglonalist

leedlng leedlng the the , ,

Benton

History History

mowment mowment

Expressionist Expressionist

Abstract Abstract of of

idea idea

fundamental fundamental

Hen Hen

Thomas Thomas "' "' .

pattern

one one l~ined l~ined we

to to moulded moulded

"are "are

that that

the the has has plucked plucked

Krasner Krasner

ideas. ideas. ol ol

atream atream

bload bload s s i th

Fr«n Fr«n

morals morals and and , , manners manners action with with and and of of thought thought

personality personality

ent ent

. .

nuum i cont consist· consist· less less or or m0

the the of of conC8j)t conC8j)t

st st i

Expression Abstract Abstract Individual Individual to to the the with with configurations configurations nterlock nterlock I end end patterns patterns psychological psychological ascribed ascribed

that that

rebirths rebirths

and and

symbols symbols

lertlllty lertlllty reed, reed, was was "'periodicity," "'periodicity," widely widely or or Cunure Cunure cycllcafity cycllcafity of of . . sites Patterm Patterm whose whose , , Benedict Ruth Ruth oglsl oglsl

oppo­

thedlafecticof thedlafecticof -

themes themes · · l umerable umerable Inn -11 -11 as as Theenthropo . . as as patterns nuum nuum Into Into conti be be organized organized to to thought thought re re history-

hOlistlc hOlistlc

yet yet

episodic, episodic,

sophisticated, sophisticated, set set a a end end forth forth culture, culture, Joyce Joyce experience, experience, cycle. cycle. the the of of Human Human out. out. stand stand

lta lta ldeu ldeu of of Two Two

phase phase

the the original original to to , , return return a a chaos alter alter and. and.

phase, phase,

democratic democratic

. .

1930s the the

of of

culture culture

and and

an an in in deas deas I

then then and and

aristocratic aristocratic

by by

. . an an

heroes lolla-d lolla-d s s l It It

and and

giants, giants, . . gods

and and forms forms basic basic baed baed on on

broadly broadly

-. -.

the the continuum continuum

-

eventa eventa

by by mythic mythic

governed governed is is period period

theocratic theocratic

prehistoric prehistoric

A A . .

the the 1930I)

of of intef11ctlon intef11ctlon

dynamic dynamic

the the

and and prasenl. prasenl.

and and

the the

• • past past bel\ een een

of of

cyclee cyclee mural multlpanel multlpanel

unlike unlike

(nol (nol

culture culture and and ol ol

government government

connection connection

a a , ,

tory his to to

pattern pattern

ol ol overall overall an an

notion notion Mentis! Mentis!

lonms lonms

by by panicular panicular

characterized characterized is is history history

of of . .

Each Each phase phase journey

the the suggested suggested

concepl concepl

the the

-

origins origins

Ila Ila

In In Mandel Mandel

Partially Partially

book's book's the the of of stages stages the the In In

reflected reflected Is Is a a that that

cycle cycle

lour-pan lour-pan Into Into

. .

experience

human human

history history

divides divides , ,

Vlco following following

Joyce, Joyce, , , Wilke

Finnegan's Finnegan's In In

while while

of of

progress. progress. not not ii ii

process, process,

g g in

ever-advanc

Interconnected. Interconnected.

the the

life. life.

modern modern

in in

patterns patterns

mythic mythic

and and

traditions traditions

ancient ancient recasting recasting of of

symbolized symbolized

continuum continuum The The . . time

and and space space over over

evements evements l

1ch

mode mode a a

suggested suggested

U/ySS8S U/ySS8S

sought. sought.

Americans Americans the the

that that

continuity continuity

and and

struggles, struggles,

events, events,

action. action.

human human

of of

sequence sequence continuing continuing

and and

completeness completeness

• •

offered offered

culture culture

and and , ,

biology

story, story, i h

. .

lime

a a n n I

hislory hislory

It It organized organized eo< eo< icept icept

M M a a history. history.

American American of of

umphs umphs

presenl presenl and and past past

of of

interlocking interlocking

and and symbolism symbolism

. .

dense

interwoven interwoven

. . tri· tri· and and

struggles

beginnings. beginnings.

the the rept rept

esent esent

to to

murals murals

Topel<& Topel<&

s s '

. . method

The The Krasner

including including

Elcpresalonists. Elcpresalonists.

Abstract Abstract

many many

his his

In In

Curry Curry

Steuan Steuan John John as as

such such painters painters llsl llsl

by by Aeglona

used used

also also

to to

fundamental fundamental was was that that

life life

exterior exterior and and

nterior nterior I

and and , ,

culture . .

myth

was was

It It

. .

Administration

Progress Progress Wort

the the and and

Sculpture Sculpture and and

Ing Ing

, ,

history of of

linkage linkage of of

mode mode

dynamic dynamic

a a provided provided

Wake Wake

Finnegan's Finnegan's

Paint· Paint· of of Section Section as as Treesury's Treesury's

the the

such such projects projects

an an

Government's Government's

and and

Ulysses Ulysses

In In

technique technique

stream-of-nsclousness stream-of-nsclousness

Joyce's Joyce's

l l Federa the the of of painting painting mural mural the the In In stages stages and and

sequencee sequencee In In

jected jected

. . .,

Joyce James James , ,

continuum

pro­ civilization civilization

wor1d wor1d

and and

American American

of of

d8Y9lopment d8Y9lopment

on on

emphasis emphasis

the the literary literary

of of

the the master master

rom rom f

drew drew

Smith, Smith, David David

and and

, ,

Tomlin

the the by by

indicated indicated was was

continuum continuum The The . . .

painting painting

history history

decade's decade's

, , Aothko , ,

Gottlieb . .

Pollock

including including

. .

anlsta

Expressionist Expressionist

Abstr11Ct Abstr11Ct

the the shaped shaped continuum continuum histOl1cal histOl1cal

a a Idea Idea

of of

the the

1930s. 1930s. the the

In In

y y

Man

1940s. 1940s.

the the

fO< fO<

concep1 concep1 the the relined relined

further further

figure figure

Another Another

CYlture CYlture and and art art American American idea idea n n I M M fundamental fundamental . . a a myth and and tory tory

his· his· of of and and patterns patterns " " . . .. procesMS procesMS "'Staoet "'Staoet dynamic dynamic and and Interconnectedness Interconnectedness

In In

place place take take

would would

consciousness consciousness the the of of rep

· ·

evolu the the that that

noted noted

Ernest Ernest and and that that Breton Breton tradition tradition Surreelists Surreelists the the painting painting and and Hare Hare modem modem the the with with connections connections

for for

-rch -rch

id id Dav r r ulpto sc

American American e e

th by by

editorial editorial

the the

Axis). Axis). the the Is. Is. the the or or that that tlon, tlon, 19509 19509 ttle ttle ol ol anxiety anxiety pop pop

existential existential the the than than

urces urces so

and and

· ·

destruc of of

for~ for~ the the over over

victory victory more more and and ( Ideas Ideas spirit spirit the the complex complex of of much much of of emancipation emancipation out out arose arose sm sm i dynam expressionist expressionist

an an for for life life

outer outer and and

nner nner i of of synthesis synthesis Abstr11Ct Abstr11Ct new new a a for for need need explanations, explanations, theM theM eome eome the the of of In In truth truth It It

there there While While

scussion scussion i d a a In In . . sm i

anti-modern

1930s 1930s as as to to oppooed oppooed

an an modem modem process.• process.• penonat, penonat, unconscious unconscious

Ing Ing

with with consistent consistent is, is, tenns tenns

In In

that that ; ;

terms modernls1 modernls1 in in was was seen seen manifest· manifest· evolutlonlsm evolutlonlsm as as now now Exptessionism Exptessionism Abs1J11Ct Abs1J11Ct of of twuahwoulence, It Is one of the more dramatic of forming and reforming in a coiling whirlpool, Gaea embodies the Abstract Expressionist paintings. charged action of Abstract Expression as the energy of growth. In Icarus of 1964 sees the rasurfaclng of her semi representational these paintings then the continuum Is used to suggest an inter­ forms in specifically mythic context. As with most Abstract Expres­ locking, crisscrossing modern combat (originally World war II) sionists, Krasner drew from many cul1ures for her 1hemes. While that reenacts the cycle of conflict and rebirth. The continuum ioins much previous writing has concentrated on their Interest In Native· opposing ends and fulfills a basic need and social theme of the American art, the artists culled their concepts of myth and ritual interwar period as defined by E.M. Forster In Howard's End: "Only process from all over the world and from different cultural periods. connect.'"' In plain terms, Krasner's art represents the continual In other words, from all space and time. Krasner here uses the and dualistic ups and downs or pluses and minuses of the ;ourney Greek myth of Icarus who flew too close to the sun, thus melting of life. history, and myth. his wax and feather wings, and falling to death in the sea below. Courtship of 1966 reveals an autobiographic element that had Scattered feathers marked where he fell. Krasner's painting of alw·ays underlined her work. The painting contains concentrated orange and lavender curvilinear forms recalls Icarus's scattered blomorphic forms that resemble cooing bi rds. The "birds" are plumage as It echoes a myth of celestial danger, human hubris. both drawn and shaped by the orange ground. Krasner once said and disaster. that her painting can be read as autobiographical if one tries." but Kulic of 1965 dispenses with multiple colors and consists only it is a mistake to interpret her work so narrowly. She integrates of yellow ochre curvilinear outlined forms. While the painting is personal references and elements of ritual pattern and process. fully consistent with her development. in an odd way It resembles Here the birds may evoke memories of herseif and Pollock. but it the paintings of the French Sunreallst Andre Masson, such as Elk surely points to another moment in the cycle of bi rth and death. Attacked by Dogs of 1945, whose work influenced Pollock in the For all of their originality. these works are still too Pollocklan, earty 1940s. The distillation of her forms to criss-crossing lines reflecting his vertical biomorphs of the mid-forties and his swi­ evoking drawing and calligraphic writing (Kufic is a form of Arabic rling figures of the fifties locked in their own maelstrom. Some of script) also suggests a meeting of the visual with the verbal that the works. like Pollock's, have been described as monstrous or had begun in her Uttte Image works and was shared by many of ugly. but she rejects that label: "I wouldn1 call It monstrous or her colleagues. underworld. You use the word monstrous as though it -re rele­ An original contribution of the Utt/a Image series of the late gated to a realm other than man. I would call It basic, Insofar as I 1940s had been Krasner's development of metalanguage painting am drawing from sources that are basic.''10 The pain1fngs may - that is, the concern 1Nlth an elemental. archetypal. archaic visual reflect the personal turt>ulenceof her life after Pollock's death, but and verbal image expressed in forms that suggested rows or mosa­ they hint as -11 at the unique. optimistic decorativeness and ics of letters or script. This concep1 was fundamental to interwar bright. sharply~ed color of Matissean cut-outs which flower in and Abstract Expressionist art. Surrealism had sought to combine her work In theearty 1970sandwithwhlch she overcomes Pollock the visual and verbal, as In Miro's archaic cave painting and sign and creates some of her best paintings. 5

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from from derived derived also also abstraC11ons abstraC11ons ornamental ornamental emphasized emphasized h h ic wh ng ng i

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Green Green sing sing two two Ri laces laces that that 111 111 ~ ~ KnsMr KnsMr . . her her col~ of of mosl mosl Uke Uke 1. Thill ..aey contains excerpts from mt forthcoming study, RNurr.c· - 15. Joeepll Clmpbell, ThoH9rowffho TllousondFooos(london: Abacus lion: Abotract Exprosslonl#n end the Modern Expe~. Sphere. 1975), 229. · 2. ln-lngly, two yellS later, Jec:lt-y ond Pt>lloflony (Clmbridge: HaMrd 232·238. reprlnted In Ml-Belgoll, A Thoml8 IWI Benton Miacollony University Prea/Belknap, 1977), ~. (L.owrenco: Kan... Unhlerllty -· 1971). 51·51ic lhOmM Hart Benton, 28. In Ellen L.ondau, "lee Kraane(s Early Clreer, Port Two: The 19409.• 3rd ed., rev. (Columbie: Unhlerllty of Mlaourl An Artlot In Amtrlca. Pr... , Arla MogazlrNJ 58 (November 1981), 87. 1988), 201. 11. Benton, lnterYiew, O.moourlor XIII (r.brulry 19'13}: 3-5, 20-2•: 27. Krtanet In Nem1«, '\.ee Kruner," 95. For a dlacUllion of ghosts as 1 reprinted In Bel90ll, A Thoml8 Hart Benton Misca/lany, 101. fonn of the 1urvtvel ot the past and the aearch for oneness. see Poleari, Rlllixroctlon Ind Polcari, "Mal1c Rothko: EnYlronmen~ Hefttage. Tredi· 12. Sheldon Cheney, ExproN/onl.,,, In Ari (New vonc: Uveright. 1934), tion. • For Krosner and her _.tlon, tile need to Interrelate ond -.go" 5-6. the human wtth the other wu often diecu:ued. Kruner once Mid in a 13. In VW I (June 1942): 1. diacusslon of her 1er1ptural Image wtth its simuhaneoua aUuaiona to ttt. 14. For example, In 1950 at the Abstract Ex.presaionista' meeting plac.. organic ond the obstroct: "Al I - bOth IClies, I need to """VO theae­ Tho Club, the sculptors Hetbeu might want to reed H u matt., and aplrlt Ind thl need to merge ogoinst thl need to aeparete.· NomM<. ''Lee Kmner." 90. like we-. 1nd tall back .. • There are - here who feel thlt thl things which they 111&ko ore simply momenta of 1 continuity." See Robert Good­ 28. Tuc:l

7

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