Mornings with O’Keeffe | Georgia O’Keeffe and Abstract Expressionism
Given that Georgia O’Keeffe continued to produce art for more than three decades after World War II, where should we place her paintings and drawings in the history of postwar American art? That question has been largely ignored by scholars and critics. In this Mornings with O’Keeffe program, Professor Randall Griffin addresses that question and examines the similarities and differences between O’Keeffe’s late art and the work of artists such as Mark Rothko, Barnett Newman, Jackson Pollock, and Helen Frankenthaler. Even with points of strong convergence between O’Keeffe and other Abstract Expressionists (especially the Color Field painters), Dr. Griffin argues that they were largely on divergent paths and that she had a unique worldview. Put simply, her art was shaped by visual imagery and experiences particular to her.
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This talk was recorded as part of our free ‘Mornings With O’Keeffe’ lecture series on the first Wednesday of every month.
About the Speaker
Randall Griffin is a University Distinguished Professor in the Art History department at Southern Methodist University. After receiving a Ph.D. in art history from the University of Delaware, he taught at Vanderbilt University before coming to Southern Methodist University. He has had fellowships from the Luce and Kress Foundation, and the Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts at the National Gallery of Art. Dr. Griffin’s articles have been published in Art Journal, American Art, The Burlington Magazine, and Oxford Art Journal. He has also authored five books, including Georgia O’Keeffe: The Late Work, published by Yale University Press.
