The Best in 1960s Abstract Expressionism Now on Display at Norton Simon Museum

Pasadena’s private art asylum, Norton Simon Museum, has just a launched a new exhibition titled, Surface Truths: Abstract Painting in the Sixties, featuring the Abstract Expressionism movement in all of its rebellious glory.

Helen Frankenthaler's Adriatic

Showcasing works from such icons as Larry Bell, Helen Frankenthaler, Kenneth Noland, and Takeshi Kawashima—who followed in the footsteps of the original trailblazers, Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko—the collection brings to life the American art form’s brave and pivotal arrogance, which was actually responsible for the art world’s transition into the contemporary universe.

Departing from priggish European modernism, artists found alternative mediums to better express themselves with, including unprimed canvas and non-traditional painting tools. The result: colorful works eerily and subtly filled with overwhelming amounts of raw emotion.

The captivating exhibition will be on display from March 25-August 15. For more information, visit www.nortonsimon.org.

Norton Simon Museum is located at 411 West Colorado Blvd. 626.449.6840.

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