Asger Jorn's 'The Open Hide' retrospective at Petzel marks a New York resurgence

Between May 5 and July 29, 2016, Petzel Gallery in New York showcased 'The Open Hide,' an episodic retrospective featuring Asger Jorn's artwork spanning from the early 1940s to the early 1970s. This exhibition emerged amid a resurgence of interest in Jorn, who passed away in 1973, following his last New York exhibition two decades prior. In 1992, historian T.J. Clark referred to Jorn as 'the greatest painter of the 1950s,' which sparked greater scholarly focus. A special issue on Jorn was released by the journal October in 2012, and Karen Kurczynski's 2014 publication further fueled this fascination. The exhibition illustrated Jorn's artistic journey from early animal symbolism to his CoBrA-era pieces, emphasizing his influence in challenging anthropocentric perspectives.