JOAN MITCHELL: WORLDS OF COLOUR Opens At The National Gallery

The National Gallery of Australia presents Joan Mitchell: Worlds of colour - the first major exhibition on the international artist to ever be held in Australia.

Joan Mitchell: Worlds of colour reveals the influence of the landscape on the North American painter and printmaker Joan Mitchell as it explores the final stage of her illustrious career with a selection of works on paper.

Born in Chicago, Mitchell (1925-1992) emerged in the early 1950s as a leading figure in the New York school of Abstract Expressionism alongside household names; Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko and Willem De Kooning. Despite her rich contribution to post-war American art, her work remains lesser known than those of her male contemporaries.

'At a time when women were marginalised in the art scene, Mitchell pursued an artistic career with tenacity - working amongst the great abstract expressionists - and we are excited to offer Australian audiences the chance to see her work, hear her story and know her name,' said Natasha Bullock, Assistant Director, Artistic Programs.

Inspired by her memories of the natural world - while still maintaining her unwavering dedication to non-figurative representation - Mitchell's work often references flowers, trees and, water through her unique abstract style.

'Joan Mitchell: Worlds of colour highlights Mitchell's sustained exploration of colour, shape and space as it considers how these elements contributed to her visual language,' said curator of the exhibition, Anja Loughhead.

As Kenneth Tyler, master printer and major benefactor of the National Gallery, said of Mitchell, 'I never worked with anyone since [German-born American artist Josef] Albers that had such a keen knowledge of colour and how colours interacted with each other.'

Drawn from the Kenneth Tyler Collection, the prints will be exhibited amongst a selection of archival material from their collaborative time together in 1981 and 1992.

Joan Mitchell: Worlds of colour is supported by Ken Tyler AO and Marabeth Cohen-Tyler through the Tyler Charitable Foundation and is a Know My Name project.

Joan Mitchell: Worlds of colour opens 13 February and will run until 26 April 2021. Learn more at nga.gov.au.

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