de Kooning: A Retrospective, by John Elderfield, $55, MoMA
Willem de Kooning is perhaps best know for his large, violently abstract canvases depicting fragmented female figures. An example of his most famous work can be seen in his Woman I from 1950-51, which is on the cover of the exhibit catalogue above. The current exhibit at MoMA is unique in that it shows works spanning his entire career in chronological order. The exhibit starts in a room with his early works, which are mostly still life and figural paintings with a few hints of abstract biomorphic shapes. Very quickly his works become more expressive and abstract. The figures break down into fragments and quick, jagged lines. He then goes through a black and white period, a sculptural phase and ends with purely abstract, sparse white canvases with thin, quick lines and lots of empty space.
I thoroughly enjoyed this exhibit, and recommend that you go if you are in the New York area before it ends January 9th, 2012. Below are some of the best works from the show, all available for sale as prints from the MoMA gift store.
Seated Woman, c. 1940, print $25, MoMA
Pink Angels, 1945, print $25, MoMA
Judgement Day, 1946, print $25, MoMA
Painting, 1948, print $25, MoMA
Excavation, 1950, print $25, MoMA
Pirate (Untitled II), 1981, print $25, MoMA
