Ninth Street Women

Ninth Street Women chronicles five female artists who helped shape Abstract Expressionism in mid-century New York: Lee Krasner, Elaine de Kooning, Grace Hartigan, Joan Mitchell, and Helen Frankenthaler. Through extensive research and interviews, Gabriel reconstructs their lives against the backdrop of the male-dominated art world from the 1920s through the 1950s. The book traces these artists' parallel journeys from their early years and artistic development to their roles in the avant-garde movement centered around Manhattan's Ninth Street. Their stories intersect with major figures like Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, and Franz Kline, while revealing the unique challenges they faced as women in the field. Gabriel documents how these painters navigated personal relationships, financial hardship, and professional discrimination while creating innovative work that influenced American art. The narrative follows their careers through World War II, the rise of Abstract Expressionism, and the transformation of New York into the global center of modern art. This history recovers the essential contributions of women artists who have been overshadowed in accounts of twentieth-century painting. Through their stories, the book examines broader themes of artistic identity, gender politics in the arts, and the price of dedication to one's craft.

Readers appreciate the detailed research and intimate portrayal of five female Abstract Expressionist artists, with many noting how the book fills gaps in art history knowledge. The narrative style makes complex art movements accessible while maintaining academic rigor. Likes: - Brings overlooked artists into focus - Personal letters and documents create vivid character portraits - Clear explanations of New York's art scene evolution - Strong social/historical context Dislikes: - Length (over 900 pages) intimidates some readers - Early chapters move slowly - Some find the writing dense with too many peripheral details - A few readers wanted more focus on the artwork itself Ratings: Goodreads: 4.41/5 (2,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (430+ ratings) Common reader comment: "Changed my understanding of Abstract Expressionism and American art history." Several art professors mention assigning sections to students despite the length.

The Women of Abstract Expressionism by Barbara Haskell, Joan Marter This volume documents the work and lives of more than 40 female artists who shaped Abstract Expressionism yet remained overshadowed by their male counterparts.

Abstract Expressionism by Ellen G. Landau The text examines the movement's development through the perspectives of both female and male artists, with particular attention to the social and political contexts that influenced their work.

Three Artists (Three Women) by Anne Wagner The book follows the careers of Lee Krasner, Eva Hesse, and Georgia O'Keeffe as they navigated the male-dominated art world of the twentieth century.

Lee Krasner: A Biography by Gail Levin This biography charts Krasner's journey from her Brooklyn Jewish roots through her marriage to Jackson Pollock and emergence as a significant abstract expressionist painter in her own right.

Women, Art, and Society by Whitney Chadwick The text presents a comprehensive survey of women artists from the Middle Ages to the present, highlighting their contributions and the systemic barriers they faced in the art world.

🎨 The five women artists featured in the book - Lee Krasner, Elaine de Kooning, Grace Hartigan, Joan Mitchell, and Helen Frankenthaler - collectively helped shape Abstract Expressionism while fighting against rampant sexism in the 1950s New York art scene. 📚 Author Mary Gabriel spent seven years researching the book, conducting over 130 interviews and examining thousands of personal letters between the artists. 🏆 The book was a finalist for the 2019 Pulitzer Prize in Biography and won the 2019 Marfield Prize, the national award for arts writing. 🎭 The book's title refers to the Ninth Street Show of 1951, a groundbreaking exhibition that helped establish Abstract Expressionism as a major art movement and included works by all five women. 🖼️ Helen Frankenthaler, the youngest of the five artists, developed the influential "soak-stain" technique, which involved pouring thinned paint directly onto unprimed canvas, revolutionizing the way artists approached color and canvas.