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The Arts Intel Report

Jules Olitski: Color to the Core

Nov 7, 2020 – Mar 12, 2021
745 5th Ave, New York, NY 10151, United States

In the 1960s, the Russian-born artist Jules Olitski jumped onto the Color Field bandwagon, creating his “Core” paintings. He swathed canvases in thick monochrome colors, painting shapes in saturated hues. With a goofy wobble, these shapes reject the angular, meanwhile dominating their surroundings, subverting perceptions of composition and space. When the Color Field movement was eclipsed by Pop art and Minimalism, Olitski moved on to his widely acclaimed “Spray” series. This retrospective pay homage to the “Core” works. Often overlooked, they were formative in Olitski’s career, a grounding for the practice that brought him international recognition later on. —E.C.

Photo: Jason Mandella. Courtesy of Yares Art © 2020. Estate of Jules Olitski licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.