Judith Godwin's Exhibition Challenges Abstract Expressionism's Masculine Canon
At Pippy Houldsworth Gallery, Judith Godwin presents 'Expressions of Life,' a fresh take on Abstract Expressionism through her dynamic paintings that highlight movement and encapsulate moments of violence. Her friendship with dancer Martha Graham, whom she encountered at Mary Baldwin College, significantly influences her art. Works such as 'Black Cross' (1959) echo Graham's choreography in 'El Penitente.' Additionally, pieces like 'Elegy to a Slain Deer' (1978) and 'Betrayal' (1976) convey motion through painterly expressions, positioning her against male contemporaries like Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko. This exhibition adds to the ongoing discourse on gender dynamics in the movement, following exhibitions such as the Denver Art Museum's 2016 'Women of Abstract Expressionism' and The Whitechapel Gallery's 2023 'Action, Gesture, Paint.'
Key facts
- Judith Godwin's exhibition 'Expressions of Life' is showing at Pippy Houldsworth Gallery
- Godwin's work is influenced by her friendship with choreographer Martha Graham
- The Denver Art Museum presented 'Women of Abstract Expressionism' in 2016 curated by Gwen Chanzit
- Clement Greenberg dismissed Janet Sobel as a 'primitive' painter and 'housewife'
- Jackson Pollock acknowledged Janet Sobel's influence from her 1945 painting 'Milky Way'
- The Whitechapel Gallery presented 'Action, Gesture, Paint' in 2023
- Godwin's painting 'Black Cross' (1959) references Martha Graham's 'El Penitente' (1940)
- Godwin studied at Mary Baldwin College where she first met Martha Graham
Entities
Artists
- Judith Godwin
- Jackson Pollock
- Willem de Kooning
- Janet Sobel
- Mark Rothko
- Martha Graham
- Sam Moore
Institutions
- Pippy Houldsworth Gallery
- Denver Art Museum
- The Whitechapel Gallery
- Mary Baldwin College
- ArtReview
- TISSUE
Locations
- New York
- United States
- London
- United Kingdom
- Denver