Contemporary art is rooted in the movements of the past. One style that continues to inspire is Color Field Painting, which grew from Abstract Expressionism in the late 1940’s. Artists like Mark Rothko and others developed abstract works that harnessed the expressive power of color through large fields that would seem to envelope the viewer, providing a feeling of transcendence. Other abstract artists including Richard Diebenkorn, Helen Frankenthaler, and Morris Louis were inspired by this movement and created works infused with bold color fields. The influence of Color Field Painting can be seen in many contemporary abstract works that embrace the same philosophy developed nearly 70 years ago. Our Color Field Collection features prints by the museum masters who pioneered the movement along with prints by contemporary artists that are fresh interpretations of the style.
