Muscarelle Museum of Art, Williamsburg, Va.
Jan. 23-April 26, 2026
Speed Art Museum in Louisville, Kentucky
May 23–Aug. 30, 2026
Grinnell College Museum of Art, Grinnell, Iowa
Sept. 19, 2026–Jan. 3, 2027
Mobile Museum of Ar, Mobile, Alabama
Jan. 30–April 25, 2027
Long overshadowed in the story of Abstract Expressionism, women artists played a pivotal role in shaping the artistic movement. A new exhibition at the Muscarelle Museum of Art spotlights these influential women, presenting nearly 50 paintings by 32 artists in “Abstract Expressionists: The Women,” on view Jan. 23-April 26.
The exhibition underscores the critical contributions these artists made to the growth of Abstract Expressionism through works that span the movement’s formative years in the late 1930s, peak visibility in the postwar era and later evolution through 1977. By examining stylistic crosscurrents among artists working in New York, California and Paris, the exhibition situates these painters within a broader international dialogue that defined mid-century abstraction.
The paintings are drawn from the renowned Christian Levett Collection and the FAMM (Female Artists of the Mougins Museum), France, and organized by the American Federation of Arts (AFA).
“Abstract Expressionists: The Women” reframes the history of Abstract Expressionism by returning women artists to the center of the story. For decades, women were treated as exceptions or peripheral figures in the movement — or consigned to the role of muse. This exhibition challenges that history, presenting these painters as key figures whose bold, original work helped shape one of the 20th century’s most influential artistic movements.
“It’s an important moment of recognition that we get to be part of at the Muscarelle,” said David Brashear, the museum’s director. “For many years, the story of Abstract Expressionism has overlooked its women pioneers. ‘Abstract Expressionists: The Women’ offers a more complete understanding of the artistic movement, highlighting the contributions of the ambitious and visionary women artists who were creating work alongside their more celebrated male peers. We hope our visitors find inspiration in both the powerful artworks and the stories behind them.”
“Abstract Expressionists: The Women” unfolds across four thematic sections. The first, “The New York School” focuses on women artists working in New York City around the time of World War II. Figures such as Lee Krasner, Perle Fine and Mercedes Matter drew inspiration from Cubist and Surrealist artists who fled Nazi repression and brought new artistic ideas to Manhattan.
“San Francisco Early Years” shifts the focus west, emphasizing the greater creative freedom many artists experienced working in California. Innovative works by Claire Falkenstein, Ruth Armer and Emiko Nakano illustrate core principles and west coast contributions to Abstract Expressionism.
“A Tale of Two Cities: New York and Paris” considers how American female artists helped drive a creative cross-pollination, spotlighting cultural differences and similarities between the U.S. and France at midcentury. Joan Mitchell, Janice Biala, Amaranth Ehrenhalt and Claire Falkenstein are among the artists who lived and worked in Paris for significant periods, navigating and influencing both cultural contexts.
The final section, “Vocal Girls and Beyond,” highlights artists such as Joan Mitchell, Helen Frankenthaler and Grace Hartigan who were notable for articulating the ideas and intentions behind their work. Their willingness to speak openly challenged the prevailing belief, widely held by many of their more famous male contemporaries, that only one’s canvas should “speak.”
Works on view showcase the breadth of approaches women brought to Abstract Expressionism, from the vigorous engagement with movement and form in Elaine de Kooning’s “The Bull” (1959) to the emotional force in Joan Mitchell’s large-scale canvas “When They Were Gone” (1977) to Helen Frankenthaler’s innovative soak-stain method that created radiant hues in “Bending Blue” (1977).
The presentation is enhanced by contextual multimedia content, including an audio tour hosted by Bloomberg Connects and documentary videos, allowing visitors to engage more deeply with the artworks on view.
The exhibition is accompanied by a free educational brochure produced by the AFA featuring lavish illustrations and a scholarly essay by Guest Curator Ellen G. Landau, Ph.D. An exhibition catalogue (Merrell Publishers, April 2023) provides greater insights into the world-class Levett Collection through in-depth analysis of each artist’s practice and rich reproductions of their work.
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