Flowering Limb

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Flowering Limb, 1963

Lee Krasner (1908-1984)

Paintings 1959-1965

Robert Miller Gallery

It is hard to look at Lee Krasner's paintings without the memory of the brilliant Oscar (best supporting actress) performance that Marcia Gay Hayden did in "Pollock" the Movie. I can just picture Lee Krasner being just like that.

Lee Krasner and Jackson Pollock

I therefore had to add a picture of the famous couple so I can focus on who she really was.

After the Storm, 1963

 (insert) After the Storm

I get terribly excited about the legendary women in art when I get to see them, sadly there are too few. But, let us at least appreciate the once we can find. I therefore on Thursday jumped at the occasion to go to the opening of one of the few female Abstract Expressionist's show at the Robert Miller Gallery in Chelsea.

This gorgeous large "After the Storm" painting is sort of an association to her terror of thunder as a child and Jackson Pollock's response to his drunken behavior "Think of it as a storm, it will pass."

 (Insert) Moontide, 1961

(Insert) Kufic, 1965

 During this period Lee Krasner was suffering from chronic insomnia, that resulted in these burnt umber, cream and white work.

"I realized that if I was going to work at night, I would have to knock color out altogether, because I wouldn't deal with color except in daylight."

(insert) Messenger, 1959

Seeded, 1960

Pollock's deadly car accident happened in 1956, so these paintings came after his time. Was her "Vigil" a result of this? Like a devotional watching over the dead. Probably, but I still like to see her independent from him. Although, she actually had an important influence on his career and legacy, he still is the one that people tend to remember.

 Vigil, 1960

With the Flowering Limb and the Bird Image Krasner turned back to nature for inspiration. After struggling with a broken wrist she found a way to use her fingertips, she made them move her left hand around in order to paint. These are probably my favorites from this series.

Bird Image, 1963

Marcia Tucker describes her in "A short life of trouble" after she put up a solo show for her in 1970, at the Whitney.

"When I finished placing the paintings, I called her and told her the show was ready for her to look at. She harrumphed and hung up. Twenty minutes later, there she was, wrapped in a fur coat, looking and acting like her Majesty the Queen. She sailed by me without saying hello and marched through the fourth floor as though she were reviewing the troops, hoping to find at least one soldier with scuffed boots or bad posture. I trailed her at a distance, not wanting to be in the line of fire if something displeased her, but she didn't say a word. Forty-five minutes later, I caught up with her as she leaned against the wall in one of the small back galleries. "You know," she was murmuring to herself, "I'm a pretty damn good painter."

(page 105)

With Love

Kristin