Helen Frankenthaler's Romantic Turn, Joel Shapiro's Monumental Sculptures, and a Survey of 20th-Century Masters

Helen Frankenthaler's exhibition at Knoedler & Company, running until July 18, 2003, presents ten new paintings marking a departure from her abstract roots. The artist, once a pivotal figure between Jackson Pollock and post-painterly abstraction, now creates landscapes with overt natural references, such as horizons in works like "Bacchus" (2002). Her layered acrylics achieve depth, with "Warming Trend" noted for its color shifts from blues to mauves. Joel Shapiro's show at PaceWildenstein, open until July 31, features five large-scale sculptures, including a 21-foot bronze piece that challenges the gallery's Chelsea space. His work blends constructivist and minimalist influences, using motifs like houses and stick figures to inject humor into austere forms. A wood and metal sculpture from 2002-03 is praised for its sensual movement. At Acquavella Galleries, a display of nearly 40 pieces from private collectors, on view until May 22, includes Matisse's "Jeanette" series from 1910-13 and Picasso's 1931 "Head of a Woman." The exhibition contrasts Miró and Calder, alongside Maillol's lead "Air." Frankenthaler's shift reconnects with Old Master traditions, while Shapiro's scale innovations redefine sculptural possibilities. The article, originally published in The Sun on May 15, 2003, critiques these developments without adding external commentary.