The Washington Color School emerged in the 1950s as a new direction of abstraction centered in Washington, DC. Known for staining unprimed canvases with vibrant fields of color, the first-generation Washington Color School artists, including Kenneth Noland, Morris Louis, Gene Davis, Howard Mehring, Paul Reed, and Thomas Downing, explored the expressive power of color, light, and form. They were unified by a similar style and sensibility rather than a manifesto, advancing abstraction through innovative processes and an emphasis on color.
On view in conjunction with Paul Reed: A Retrospective, this installation expands the legacy of the Washington Color School to include artists historically overlooked in its narrative, offering a more comprehensive history of abstract art in Washington, DC. Artists such as Sam Gilliam, Alma Thomas, Anne Truitt, and Kenneth Victor Young were contemporaries of the Washington Color School with similar styles and approaches to abstraction. Often referred to as the second generation, these artists actively contributed to the art landscape of Washington, DC, alongside the first-generation Washington Color School artists.
Image Credit: Sam Gilliam, Khufu, 1965, acrylic on canvas, 72 x 72 in., Oklahoma City Museum of Art, Museum purchase, Washington Gallery of Modern Art Collection, 1968.145, © Estate of Sam Gilliam, photo © Oklahoma City Museum of Art
