Often labeled a second-generation abstract expressionist, Grace Hartigan was a painter whose nuanced and diverse oeuvre defies easy categorization. Born in Newark, New Jersey, Hartigan moved to New York City after World War II, where she formed alliances with such established artists as Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning. She quickly gained critical success, but never adopted a signature style, often alternating between gestural abstraction and figural representation. In 1960, Hartigan moved to Baltimore with her husband, effectively exiting the New York art scene for the rest of her career. However, she continued to paint consistently, drawing inspiration from everyday objects, art historical references, and popular culture.
Source: the Museum of Modern Art, the New York Times
