On view December 11, 2010 - February 20, 2011
Paul Jenkins’ Post-Expressionist paintings emphasizing light and color emerged during the 1950s and took their place alongside the achievements of the Abstract Expressionists and painters of the more recent Color Field movement. By the 1960s, Jenkins had attracted the attention of art critic Clement Greenberg and has created works celebrating opulent color and the pleasure of the optical experience ever since.This exhibition features 50 examples of the artist’s achievements in watercolor as well as additional works on canvas.
The distinctive look of a Jenkins painting rests in his unorthodox approach to applying pigment. Over six decades, he has honed his manipulation of paint by pouring, pushing, and working wet-on-wet. His technique results in translucent, mystical veils of color that capture light. The spirituality expressed in the artist’s work embodies Jenkins’ continuing interest in Eastern religions and philosophy, the writings of Carl Jung, and his desire to explore the inner recesses of the unconscious mind in a colorful, visual way.