Post War and Contemporary Art featuring A Vision in Color: A Curated Session by Emily Friedman

Provenance:

Pat Hearn Gallery, New York

Acquired from the above by a New York Private Collection in 1989

Sold: Phillips New York, March 3, 2021, Lot 19

Acquired from the above by the present owner

Exhibited:

San Francisco, Fuller Gross Gallery, California, Mary Heilmann New Paintings, January 10 - February 3, 1990

Literature:

Illustrated in review by Kenneth Baker for The San Francisco Chronicle, February 1, 1990

Lot Essay:

Mary Heilmann, born in 1940 in San Francisco, is a seminal figure in Contemporary American art, renowned for her vibrant and intuitive approach to abstraction. Initially trained in ceramics and sculpture at the University of California, Berkeley, Heilmann transitioned to painting after moving to New York in 1968. Her work often reflects a synthesis of her West Coast roots and the rigorous art scenes of New York, blending geometric abstraction with personal narratives and cultural references.

Heilmann's artistic journey has been marked by a deliberate departure from the austerity of minimalism. She infuses her compositions with a sense of playfulness and spontaneity, often incorporating vivid colors and loose brushwork. Her paintings are not merely visual experiences but are imbued with stories, memories, and a deep engagement with the materiality of paint. This approach challenges traditional boundaries between fine art and craft, as seen in her integration of ceramics and furniture into her practice.

A quintessential example of Heilmann's innovative style is her 1989 painting, Deco. This work exemplifies her departure from strict geometric abstraction, featuring translucent white squares that seem to float over a stark black background. The composition is divided diagonally, creating a dynamic interplay between light and dark. Heilmann's technique in Deco reflects her ceramic background; she applies paint in a manner that emphasizes the canvas as a three-dimensional object, extending the painting to its sides and treating it as a sculptural entity.

Deco invites viewers to engage with the painting beyond its surface, encouraging contemplation of space, light, and form. Heilmann's process-oriented approach transforms the act of painting into a narrative journey, where each brushstroke contributes to a larger story. Her work continues to influence contemporary artists, particularly women, by demonstrating the power of integrating personal experience with abstract expression.

In essence, Mary Heilmann's Deco is not just a painting but a testament to her ability to merge form, color, and narrative, challenging viewers to see beyond the canvas and into the conceptual depths of her art.