Contemporary Art New York

Robert Motherwell

American (1915-1991)

In the mid-1970s, Robert Motherwell employed a favourite medium, the found object collage, and adapted it into very tall vertical compositions. Their success lies in the combination of bold gesture and small detail. In Dublin Collage —the title refers to the Irish origin noted on the soap box and the artist's appreciation for James Joyce's work—the commercial packaging is enveloped by the swaths of pigment around it. The effect both emphasizes the dramatic gesture of modern expression and also conveys appreciation for the old-fashioned appeal of the soap boxʼs design.

One of the most celebrated artists of the post-war period, Robert Motherwell pioneered Abstract Expressionism alongside Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, Mark Rothko, and Franz Kline. Motherwell became an artist of international stature. His career encompassed more than five decades, and he received virtually every honour accorded to an artist. His work has been the subject of countless museum exhibitions and publications.

Throughout his career, Motherwell worked within a broad palette of expressive possibilities using vivid colours to create compositions distinctive and highly personal. He continued to paint and write until his death in 1991. Motherwellʼs work is represented in numerous important collections worldwide.