Charles Darwent's Book Traces Abstract Expressionism's Surrealist Roots Through Atelier 17

In his latest work, Charles Darwent explores the influence of Stanley William Hayter's Atelier 17 print studio in the shift from European Surrealism to American Abstract Expressionism during the 1940s. Hayter acted as a bridge between exiled European artists, such as Max Ernst, and American counterparts like Jackson Pollock and Robert Motherwell. Originally founded in Paris, Atelier 17 moved to New York's New School for Social Research in 1940. Building on Martica Sawin's 1997 research, Darwent provides fresh biographical insights into the New York network that enabled this artistic evolution. He argues that Surrealism lost its relevance by 1946, a claim disputed by art historian Joanna Pawlik. The book also highlights Louise Bourgeois's critique of Hayter's views on women. Thames & Hudson published this work, which includes original archival discoveries.