Although widely known for her iconic “soak-stain” canvases, Helen Frankenthaler (1928-2011) was an equally inventive printmaker who took risks in a medium not frequently explored by abstract expressionists. Fluid Expressions: The Prints of Helen Frankenthaler highlights the artist’s often-overlooked, yet highly original, whimsical, and powerfully evocative print production. Drawn from the collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation, this exhibition includes more than 25 prints made using a diverse range of techniques, including lithography, etching, screen printing, and woodcut. The artist’s adaptation of her painterly aesthetic for the graphic medium offers a stunning look at how printmaking – notorious for being a slow, methodical process – can exude a sense of spontaneity and immediacy. From splattered pigments to translucent layers of ink, the radiant prints brought together her pulse with creative energy. This exhibition was organized by the Jordan Schnitzer Family Foundation, which through a generous grant also made possible the associated publication.
Image above: Helen Frankenthaler, Madame Butterfly, edition AP 10/14, 2000 (detail)
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