Gesture, Scrape, Combine, Calculate: Postwar Abstraction from the Permanent Collection
This exhibition showcases works of large-scale postwar abstraction from the Kemper Art Museum's permanent collection. The selection presents a cross-section of proliferating strategies and approaches to abstract painting and sculpture as practiced by artists working across the United States and in Europe from the immediate postwar years to the late 1970s. Highlights include examples of gestural and lyrical abstraction, color-field painting, hard-edge abstraction, and assemblage by artists such as Alberto Burri, Gene Davis, Roberto Matta, Arshile Gorky, Allan McCollum, Jules Olitski, Antoni Tàpies, and Anne Truitt. A complement to the selection of works on view in the Museum's second floor permanent collection galleries, this special exhibition offers an opportunity to see works rarely on display and to enable deeper understanding of postwar abstraction.
Organized by Meredith Malone, associate curator, this exhibition is on view through September 23.
Selected works
![3883.tif](https://kemper.qi-cms.com/website/media/w800/permanent_0_4571/3883.tif.jpg)
Grace Hartigan
New York Rhapsody
1960![2004_0011_0016.jpg](https://kemper.qi-cms.com/website/media/w800/permanent_2000_2009/2004_0011_0016.jpg)
Max Bill
XVI, from the portfolio Max Bill 16 Constellations
1974![2004_0011_0001.jpg](https://kemper.qi-cms.com/website/media/w800/permanent_2000_2009/2004_0011_0001.jpg)
Max Bill
I, from the portfolio Max Bill 16 Constellations
1974![2004_0011_0002.jpg](https://kemper.qi-cms.com/website/media/w800/permanent_2000_2009/2004_0011_0002.jpg)
Max Bill
II, from the portfolio Max Bill 16 Constellations
1974![2004_0011_0003.jpg](https://kemper.qi-cms.com/website/media/w800/permanent_2000_2009/2004_0011_0003.jpg)
Max Bill
III, from the portfolio Max Bill 16 Constellations
1974![2004_0011_0004.jpg](https://kemper.qi-cms.com/website/media/w800/permanent_2000_2009/2004_0011_0004.jpg)
Max Bill
IV, from the portfolio Max Bill 16 Constellations
1974![2004_0011_0005.jpg](https://kemper.qi-cms.com/website/media/w800/permanent_2000_2009/2004_0011_0005.jpg)
Max Bill
V, from the portfolio Max Bill 16 Constellations
1974![2004_0011_0006.jpg](https://kemper.qi-cms.com/website/media/w800/permanent_2000_2009/2004_0011_0006.jpg)
Max Bill
VI, from the portfolio Max Bill 16 Constellations
1974![2004_0011_0007.jpg](https://kemper.qi-cms.com/website/media/w800/permanent_2000_2009/2004_0011_0007.jpg)
Max Bill
VII, from the portfolio Max Bill 16 Constellations
1974![2004_0011_0008.jpg](https://kemper.qi-cms.com/website/media/w800/permanent_2000_2009/2004_0011_0008.jpg)
Max Bill
VIII, from the portfolio Max Bill 16 Constellations
1974![2004_0011_0009.jpg](https://kemper.qi-cms.com/website/media/w800/permanent_2000_2009/2004_0011_0009.jpg)
Max Bill
IX, from the portfolio Max Bill 16 Constellations
1974![2004_0011_0010.jpg](https://kemper.qi-cms.com/website/media/w800/permanent_2000_2009/2004_0011_0010.jpg)
Max Bill
X, from the portfolio Max Bill 16 Constellations
1974![2004_0011_0011.jpg](https://kemper.qi-cms.com/website/media/w800/permanent_2000_2009/2004_0011_0011.jpg)
Max Bill
XI, from the portfolio Max Bill 16 Constellations
1974![2004_0011_0012.jpg](https://kemper.qi-cms.com/website/media/w800/permanent_2000_2009/2004_0011_0012.jpg)
Max Bill
XII, from the portfolio Max Bill 16 Constellations
1974![2004_0011_0013.jpg](https://kemper.qi-cms.com/website/media/w800/permanent_2000_2009/2004_0011_0013.jpg)
Max Bill
XIII, from the portfolio Max Bill 16 Constellations
1974![2004_0011_0014.jpg](https://kemper.qi-cms.com/website/media/w800/permanent_2000_2009/2004_0011_0014.jpg)
Max Bill
XIV, from the portfolio Max Bill 16 Constellations
1974![2004_0011_0015.jpg](https://kemper.qi-cms.com/website/media/w800/permanent_2000_2009/2004_0011_0015.jpg)
Max Bill
XV, from the portfolio Max Bill 16 Constellations
1974![4516.tif](https://kemper.qi-cms.com/website/media/w800/permanent_0_4571/4516.tif.jpg)
Allan McCollum
Pam Beale
1971![2008_0009.tif](https://kemper.qi-cms.com/website/media/w800/permanent_2000_2009/2008_0009.tif.jpg)
John McCracken
Mandala VI
1972![3841.tif](https://kemper.qi-cms.com/website/media/w800/permanent_0_4571/3841.tif.jpg)
Arshile Gorky
Golden Brown Painting
1943–44![4176.tif](https://kemper.qi-cms.com/website/media/w800/permanent_0_4571/4176.tif.jpg)
Alberto Burri
Grande Ferro M1
1958![4548.tif](https://kemper.qi-cms.com/website/media/w800/permanent_0_4571/4548.tif.jpg)
John Chamberlain
Hanging Herm
1974![4006.tif](https://kemper.qi-cms.com/website/media/w800/permanent_0_4571/4006.tif.jpg)
Eduardo Chillida
Rumor de limites #4 (Rumor of Limits #4)
1960![4425.tif](https://kemper.qi-cms.com/website/media/w800/permanent_0_4571/4425.tif.jpg)
Gene Davis
Equinox
1965![4019.tif](https://kemper.qi-cms.com/website/media/w800/permanent_0_4571/4019.tif.jpg)
Richard Diebenkorn
Berkeley #7
1953![4153.tif](https://kemper.qi-cms.com/website/media/w800/permanent_0_4571/4153.tif.jpg)
Ibram Lassaw
Eden Now
1959![4367.tif](https://kemper.qi-cms.com/website/media/w800/permanent_0_4571/4367.tif.jpg)
Roberto Matta
Abstraction
1959–60![4498.tif](https://kemper.qi-cms.com/website/media/w800/permanent_0_4571/4498.tif.jpg)
Manolo Millares
Cuadro No. 82 (Painting No. 82)
1960![4426.tif](https://kemper.qi-cms.com/website/media/w800/permanent_0_4571/4426.tif.jpg)
Jules Olitski
Free and Fast
1968![4067.tif](https://kemper.qi-cms.com/website/media/w800/permanent_0_4571/4067.tif.jpg)
Antoni Tàpies
Blanco y Grafismos (White with Graphism)
1957![1998_11.tif](https://kemper.qi-cms.com/website/media/w800/permanent_1990_1999/1998_11.tif.jpg)