*1904-1980
Europe
Still
Clyfford
85
Artist ID:
Clyfford Still (* 30 November 1904 in Grandin, North Dakota; † 23 June 1980 in New York) was an American painter, and one of the leading figures in the first generation of Abstract Expressionists, who developed a new, powerful approach to painting in the years immediately following World War II. Still has been credited with laying the groundwork for the movement, as his shift from representational to abstract painting occurred between 1938 and 1942, earlier than his colleagues like Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko, who continued to paint in figurative-surrealist styles well into the 1940s. By 1947, Clyfford Still had begun working in the format that he would intensify and refine throughout the rest of his career—a large-scale color field crudely applied with palette knives. Still liberated color from illusionary design by allowing large, uninterrupted tonal areas to interlock on a flat plane. He dispensed with typically “beautiful” colors in favor of more disquieting hues to create unsettling impressions.
Still espoused what he regarded as particularly American ideals such as absolute freedom and individuality, which were manifested in his works as well as in his artistic career. Although he was given solo exhibitions at Peggy Guggenheim’s Art of This Century gallery in 1946 and Betty Parson’s Gallery in 1947, he disdained the commercial aspects of the art world and became increasingly aloof from the burgeoning New York School, to the point of refusing to exhibit for a period between 1952 and 1958. Although the artist scorned categorization, his expansive canvases dominated by jagged fields of color were influential among the Abstract Expressionist artists he was grouped with, in particular Barnett Newman and Mark Rothko, who shared his interest in the metaphysical sublime. These artists believed that a painting could convey meaning without reference to anything outside of its inherent formal and material qualities. Rather than capture a realistic representation of the world in his abstract paintings, Still sought to create a transcendental experience that was purely visual and impossible to describe with words.
Further Works of This Artist
Our Mission and Actions
At THE ART HUB, our mission is initially focused on addressing a profound imbalance within the art world, specifically catering to women artists. In the current landscape, a mere 5% to 15% of artworks traded at auctions are created by women, starkly contrasted by the overwhelming 85% to 95% of works by male artists. This disparity is not only confined to auctions but is also prevalent in exhibitions, where male-created art significantly overshadows that of their female counterparts.
By concentrating our efforts on female artists, THE ART HUB aims to counteract this imbalance and champion women within the art community. This initiative is designed to amplify the visibility of women artists, making their creations more accessible to a wider audience, and ultimately striving for a more balanced representation of genders within art auctions and exhibitions. By prioritizing women in art, our platform boldly advocates for equality and diversity within the art sector, signaling a commitment to reshaping and enriching the cultural landscape.
