{"id":8703,"date":"2023-10-31T15:39:29","date_gmt":"2023-10-31T14:39:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/palazzostrozzi.org\/mostra\/helen-frankenthaler\/"},"modified":"2026-02-21T18:09:55","modified_gmt":"2026-02-21T17:09:55","slug":"helen-frankenthaler","status":"publish","type":"mostra","link":"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/en\/exhibition\/helen-frankenthaler\/","title":{"rendered":"Helen Frankenthaler"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

Fotogallery<\/h3>\n
\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
\n\n \n
\n
\n
\n
\n \n \"\"\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n
\n \n \"\"\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n
\n \n \"\"\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n
\n \n \"\"\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n
\n \n \"\"\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n
\n \n \"\"\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n
\n \n \"\"\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n
\n \n \"\"\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n
\n \n \"\"\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n
\n \n \"\"\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n
\n \n \"\"\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n
\n \n \"\"\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
\n
<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

Exhibition walkthrough<\/h3>\n <\/div>\n
\n
\n\n

Organized chronologically, the exhibition at Palazzo Strozzi tracks the development of Frankenthaler\u2019s creative practice over six decades, with each room dedicated to a decade from the 1950s to the 2000s. Frankenthaler\u2019s artistic innovations, seen in tandem with contemporaneous paintings, sculptures, and works on paper by friends, sheds light on the synergies and affinities between these artists. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The exhibition demonstrates the well-established influence of Jackson Pollock<\/strong> on Frankenthaler in the 1950s. Pollock\u2019s Number 14, 1951, an abstract black and white enamel painting that hints at subliminal imagery, is shown alongside Frankenthaler\u2019s Mediterranean Thoughts<\/em>, 1960, a colorful oil painting with similar \u201celements of realism abstracted or Surrealism\u201d\u2014a phrase Frankenthaler used to describe Pollock\u2019s work after seeing it in person in 1951. Viewers will be invitedto make visual connections between subsequent works and their affinities. For instance, Frankenthaler\u2019s Tutti-Frutti<\/em>, 1966, a buoyant painting of colored clouds created using her innovative soak-stain technique, finds a Euclidean analog in David Smith<\/strong>\u2019s Untitled<\/em>, 1964, a painted steel sculpture constructed of geometric shapes stacked one on top of another, all coasting on four small wheels. Frankenthaler\u2019s own sculptures are also included in the exhibition. Heart of London Map<\/em>, 1972, a steel assemblage, bears an affinity to Anthony Caro<\/strong>\u2019s Ascending the Stairs<\/em>, 1979-83, in its piece-by-piece construction. Frankenthaler\u2019s works from the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s are a testament to an artist who never stopped breaking the rules to explore new ways to make art.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

Helen Frankenthaler<\/h3>\n

New York, 1928 – Darien, 2011<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

\n
\n\n

Born in New York City in 1928, Helen Frankenthaler studied studio art and art history with Paul Feeley at Bennington College, before returning to Manhattan, where she gravitated to abstract art. By the early 1950s she had gained direct access to the New York School and key figures in postwar American art, some of whom became part of her social circle. Frankenthaler surrounded herself early on with kindred artists who shared her unwavering commitment to experimentation<\/em>. With trusted friends she shared studio visits, ongoing correspondence, and poignant perspectives on life. She also collected friends\u2019 work, which was prominently displayed in her Manhattan home. Among them, Helen\u2019s Collage<\/em>, 1957, a paper collage by Robert Motherwell<\/strong>; Aleph Series V<\/em>, 1960, a painting by Morris Louis<\/strong>; and Ascending the Stairs<\/em>, 1979-83, a sculpture by Anthony Caro<\/strong>, will all be on view in Painting Without Rules<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\n
\n <\/div>\n
\n
\n\n

Helen Frankenthaler: Painting Without Rules<\/em> is co-organized by Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi, Florence, and the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation<\/a>, New York.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Public supporters include the Comune di Firenze, Regione Toscana, Citt\u00e0 Metropolitana di Firenze, and the Camera di Commercio di Firenze.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Private supporters are Fondazione CR Firenze, Intesa Sanpaolo, Fondazione Hillary Merkus Recordati, and the Palazzo Strozzi Partners Committee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Special thanks to Maria Manetti Shrem and Gagosian.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The exhibition is also part of the Equinozio d\u2019autunno 2024<\/em><\/a> project, a calendar of contemporary art events in Tuscany from 22 September to 6 October 2024, coordinated by the Centro per l\u2019Arte Contemporanea Luigi Pecci.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\n
\n <\/div>\n
\n
\n\n

Cover: Helen Frankenthaler, Open Wall<\/em> (det.), 1953 \u00a9 2023 Helen Frankenthaler Foundation, Inc. \/ Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York \/ SIAE, Rome<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"featured_media":7164,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"area-esposizione":[53],"location":[],"class_list":["post-8703","mostra","type-mostra","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","area-esposizione-piano-nobile"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHelen Frankenthaler – Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/en\/exhibition\/helen-frankenthaler\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Helen Frankenthaler – Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/en\/exhibition\/helen-frankenthaler\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-02-21T17:09:55+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Helen-Frankenthaler_Open-Wall_1953_CROP1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"480\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/en\/exhibition\/helen-frankenthaler\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/en\/exhibition\/helen-frankenthaler\/\",\"name\":\"Helen Frankenthaler – Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/en\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/en\/exhibition\/helen-frankenthaler\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/en\/exhibition\/helen-frankenthaler\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Helen-Frankenthaler_Open-Wall_1953_CROP1.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-10-31T14:39:29+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-21T17:09:55+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/en\/exhibition\/helen-frankenthaler\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/en\/exhibition\/helen-frankenthaler\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/en\/exhibition\/helen-frankenthaler\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Helen-Frankenthaler_Open-Wall_1953_CROP1.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Helen-Frankenthaler_Open-Wall_1953_CROP1.jpg\",\"width\":800,\"height\":480},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/en\/exhibition\/helen-frankenthaler\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/en\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Helen Frankenthaler\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/en\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/en\/\",\"name\":\"Palazzo Strozzi\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/en\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Helen Frankenthaler – Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/en\/exhibition\/helen-frankenthaler\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Helen Frankenthaler – Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi","og_url":"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/en\/exhibition\/helen-frankenthaler\/","og_site_name":"Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi","article_modified_time":"2026-02-21T17:09:55+00:00","og_image":[{"width":800,"height":480,"url":"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Helen-Frankenthaler_Open-Wall_1953_CROP1.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/en\/exhibition\/helen-frankenthaler\/","url":"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/en\/exhibition\/helen-frankenthaler\/","name":"Helen Frankenthaler – Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/en\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/en\/exhibition\/helen-frankenthaler\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/en\/exhibition\/helen-frankenthaler\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Helen-Frankenthaler_Open-Wall_1953_CROP1.jpg","datePublished":"2023-10-31T14:39:29+00:00","dateModified":"2026-02-21T17:09:55+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/en\/exhibition\/helen-frankenthaler\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/en\/exhibition\/helen-frankenthaler\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/en\/exhibition\/helen-frankenthaler\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Helen-Frankenthaler_Open-Wall_1953_CROP1.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Helen-Frankenthaler_Open-Wall_1953_CROP1.jpg","width":800,"height":480},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/en\/exhibition\/helen-frankenthaler\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Helen Frankenthaler"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/en\/","name":"Palazzo Strozzi","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/mostra\/8703","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/mostra"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/mostra"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/mostra\/8703\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20696,"href":"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/mostra\/8703\/revisions\/20696"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7164"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8703"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"area-esposizione","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/area-esposizione?post=8703"},{"taxonomy":"location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.palazzostrozzi.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/location?post=8703"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}