Jane Freilicher's 2009 Exhibition at Tibor de Nagy Gallery Showcases Four Decades of Painting

From March 14 to April 18, 2009, Tibor de Nagy Gallery in New York City presented 'Jane Freilicher: Changing Scenes,' an exhibition of eighteen works spanning over forty years. The show highlighted Freilicher's enduring focus on domestic views, flowers, and objects, prompting reflection on aging and artistic commitment. Her origins among 1950s painters and poets, particularly the influence of poet Frank O'Hara, were noted for their spontaneous, improvisational quality. Freilicher's studio views from Water Mill on Long Island and New York City became lifelong engagements, with her compositions often framing tables as stages for bouquets and objects. The French painter Pierre Bonnard, whose concurrent exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum provided context, influenced her abrupt juxtapositions of interiors and landscapes. Critic Fairfield Porter, in a 1952 review, praised Freilicher's search for 'first principles' and affection for 'all bumbling things.' Over time, her work tightened while retaining a spirit of chance encounter, as seen in pieces like 'Summer Afternoon' (1987) and 'From the Studio' (1989-91). Recent works, such as 'Yellow' (2009), showed increased integration of views and tables, emphasizing simple forms and harmonious colors. The exhibition underscored Freilicher's persistent engagement with mundane subjects, avoiding pedantry through economical, inspired recording of variations in landscapes like the flat Long Island horizon.