7.8 Color field painting

Color field painting emerged in the 1940s and 1950s as a new form of abstract art emphasizing large areas of flat color. It developed as a reaction against the gestural intensity of abstract expressionism, seeking a more contemplative approach influenced by European modernist movements.

Key characteristics include an emphasis on color over form, large fields of flat, solid color, and the elimination of gestural brushwork. Notable artists like Mark Rothko, Barnett Newman, and Helen Frankenthaler pioneered techniques such as staining and hard-edge painting to create immersive, color-focused works.

Origins of color field painting

• Color field painting emerged in the 1940s and 1950s as a new form of abstract art that emphasized large areas of flat color
• Developed as a reaction against the gestural and emotional intensity of abstract expressionism, seeking a more contemplative and meditative approach
• Influenced by the flat color planes and geometric abstraction of European modernist movements such as Bauhaus and De Stijl

Links to abstract expressionism

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• Many color field painters began their careers as abstract expressionists before transitioning to a more color-focused approach
• Shared an interest in abstraction and the expressive potential of color, but diverged in their emphasis on gesture and emotion
• Color field painting can be seen as a distillation of certain aspects of abstract expressionism, particularly the use of large canvases and the exploration of color

Influence of European modernism

• Color field painters drew inspiration from the simplified forms and pure colors of European avant-garde movements like Bauhaus, De Stijl, and Suprematism
• Admired the spiritual and transcendent qualities of color in the works of artists such as Wassily Kandinsky and Piet Mondrian
• Incorporated the flat, unmodulated color planes and geometric compositions of these earlier movements into their own work

Key characteristics of color field paintings

• Color field paintings are characterized by their emphasis on large, flat areas of color that dominate the canvas
• Aim to create a sense of immersion and contemplation in the viewer through the use of expansive fields of color
• Often feature simplified compositions with minimal or no representational elements, allowing color to be the primary focus

Emphasis on color over form

• Color is the central element in color field paintings, with form and composition taking a secondary role
• Artists explore the emotional and psychological effects of color, as well as its ability to create a sense of space and depth
• Color is often used in a non-representational way, divorced from any reference to natural or recognizable forms

Large fields of flat, solid color

• Color field paintings typically feature large, uninterrupted areas of a single color or closely related hues
• Colors are applied in flat, even layers, creating a sense of uniformity and consistency across the canvas
• Large scale of the paintings enhances the immersive quality of the color fields, enveloping the viewer's field of vision

Elimination of gestural brushwork

• Unlike abstract expressionism, which emphasized visible brushstrokes and the artist's hand, color field painting aims for a more impersonal and anonymous surface
• Brushwork is minimized or eliminated altogether, with colors often applied using techniques such as staining or pouring to create smooth, even surfaces
• Absence of gestural marks shifts focus to the pure, unmediated experience of color itself

Notable color field painters

• Color field painting was pioneered by a group of artists who explored the expressive potential of color in their work
• These painters helped to establish color field painting as a distinct movement within abstract art, influencing later generations of artists

Mark Rothko

• Known for his large, luminous canvases featuring soft-edged rectangles of color that seem to float on the surface
• Explored the emotional and spiritual dimensions of color, seeking to create a sense of transcendence and contemplation in the viewer
• Signature works include "No. 61 (Rust and Blue)" (1953) and the Seagram Murals (1958-1959)

Barnett Newman

• Developed a style characterized by large, vertical "zips" of color that divide the canvas into fields of flat color
• Sought to create a sense of the sublime and the infinite through the use of expansive color fields and minimal composition
• Notable works include "Vir Heroicus Sublimis" (1950-1951) and the "Stations of the Cross" series (1958-1966)

Clyfford Still

• One of the earliest proponents of color field painting, known for his large, abstract canvases featuring jagged fields of color
• Emphasized the autonomy and expressive power of color, rejecting any reference to external reality or narrative content
• Major works include "1957-D No. 1" and "1948-C"

Helen Frankenthaler

• Pioneered the "soak-stain" technique, pouring thinned paint directly onto unprimed canvas to create luminous, transparent color fields
• Work is characterized by a lyrical, improvisational quality and a sensitive use of color and form
• Important paintings include "Mountains and Sea" (1952) and "Canyon" (1965)

Techniques used in color field painting

• Color field painters developed a range of techniques to create their signature style of large, flat areas of color
• These techniques allowed them to achieve a sense of immediacy and directness in their work, emphasizing the pure, unmediated experience of color

Staining vs impasto

• Staining involves applying thinned paint directly to the canvas, allowing it to soak into the fibers and create a flat, even surface
  • Pioneered by Helen Frankenthaler and later adopted by other color field painters like Morris Louis
• Impasto, on the other hand, involves applying thick layers of paint to create a textured, three-dimensional surface
  • Less commonly used in color field painting, which typically favors flat, unmodulated color planes

Use of acrylic vs oil paint

• Many color field painters adopted acrylic paint, which had recently become available in the 1950s
  • Acrylics dry quickly, allowing for faster work and the ability to layer colors without muddying them
  • Also have a flat, matte finish that suits the aesthetic of color field painting
• Some artists, like Mark Rothko, continued to use traditional oil paints
  • Allowed for greater subtlety and depth of color, as well as the ability to create soft, blurred edges

Hard-edge vs soft-edge

• Some color field painters, like Ellsworth Kelly and Kenneth Noland, used hard-edged, geometric forms to create crisp, clearly defined color areas
  • Emphasized the flatness of the picture plane and the autonomy of color
• Others, like Rothko and Frankenthaler, favored soft, blurred edges that create a sense of depth and atmosphere
  • Allowed for greater subtlety and nuance in the use of color, creating a more immersive and contemplative experience for the viewer

Critical reception and legacy

• Color field painting initially sparked controversy and debate within the art world, challenging traditional notions of what constituted art
• Over time, it has come to be recognized as a major development in the history of abstract art, influencing later movements and artists

Initial controversy and debate

• Some critics dismissed color field painting as simplistic and lacking in content, seeing it as a retreat from the complexity and ambition of abstract expressionism
• Others defended it as a new form of art that emphasized the pure, sensory experience of color and the immediacy of the artistic gesture
• Debates helped to establish color field painting as a significant and controversial movement in postwar American art

Influence on later abstract art

• Color field painting had a profound influence on the development of abstract art in the 1960s and beyond
• Minimalist artists like Frank Stella and Ellsworth Kelly drew on the reductive, color-based compositions of color field painting in their own work
• Postpainterly abstraction, a term coined by critic Clement Greenberg, describes a group of artists who continued to explore the expressive potential of color in the 1960s, building on the legacy of color field painting

Relationship to minimalism and pop art

• Color field painting shares some similarities with minimalism in its emphasis on simplicity, reduction, and the use of industrial materials and techniques
  • However, color field painting places greater emphasis on the expressive and emotive qualities of color, while minimalism tends to be more cool and impersonal
• Pop art, which emerged in the 1960s, can be seen as a reaction against the seriousness and high-mindedness of color field painting
  • Pop artists celebrated popular culture and mass media, often using bright, bold colors in a more ironic and playful way than the color field painters

Color field painting vs abstract expressionism

• While color field painting emerged out of abstract expressionism, it represents a distinct break from the earlier movement in terms of style, technique, and philosophical approach
• Understanding the differences between the two movements helps to situate color field painting within the broader context of postwar American art

Similarities in abstract approach

• Both color field painting and abstract expressionism are forms of abstract art, rejecting representation in favor of non-objective imagery
• Both movements emphasized the expressive potential of color and the immediacy of the artistic gesture
• Artists in both movements often worked on a large scale, creating immersive, monumental canvases that engulf the viewer

Differences in emphasis on color

• Color field painting places greater emphasis on color as the primary element of the composition, subordinating form and gesture to the creation of large, flat areas of color
• Abstract expressionism, while also interested in color, tends to use it in a more dynamic and gestural way, with visible brushstrokes and a greater sense of movement and energy
• Color field painters often used thinned, poured paint to create smooth, even surfaces, while abstract expressionists favored thick, textured impasto

Philosophical and emotional contrasts

• Color field painting is often seen as a more contemplative, meditative form of abstraction, seeking to create a sense of stillness and transcendence through the use of color
  • Artists like Rothko and Newman spoke of their work in spiritual and metaphysical terms, seeing color as a means of accessing higher states of consciousness
• Abstract expressionism, on the other hand, is often characterized by a sense of existential angst and emotional intensity
  • Artists like Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning sought to express the inner turmoil and psychological depth of the individual through their gestural, action-based approach to painting
• These philosophical differences reflect the shifting cultural and intellectual climate of the postwar period, as artists grappled with questions of meaning, identity, and the role of art in a rapidly changing world