ARTISTS
Who鈥檚 Afraid of Red, Yellow and Blue?: A Homage to Barnett Newman
Barnett Newman鈥檚 series of four paintings 鈥淲ho鈥檚 Afraid of Red, Yellow and Blue鈥� (I, II, III & IV, 1966鈥�70) is a major work of Abstract Expressionism. The size alone of these color field paintings magnifies the effect of the primary colors 鈥� red, yellow and blue 鈥� on the viewer. The series also represents an act of liberation from an artistic dogma prevalent since the 1920s of basing artistic principles on primary colors in the manner of a Piet Mondrian, for example, which is alluded to in the humorous title.
The acquisition of the four versions of this 鈥渙nce-in-a century鈥� work of art by large and important collections and museums, such as the Stedelijk Museum or the Neue Nationalgalerie Berlin, led to an uproar in the 1980s; two of the paintings were even damaged in attacks. The meanwhile iconic title, which refers to Edward Albee鈥檚 play 鈥淲ho鈥檚 Afraid of Virginia Woolf鈥� (1962), has itself provided inspiration in the past few decades for composers, film directors and visual artists.
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Barnett Newman鈥檚 series of four paintings 鈥淲ho鈥檚 Afraid of Red, Yellow and Blue鈥� (I, II, III & IV, 1966鈥�70) is a major work of Abstract Expressionism. The size alone of these color field paintings magnifies the effect of the primary colors 鈥� red, yellow and blue 鈥� on the viewer. The series also represents an act of liberation from an artistic dogma prevalent since the 1920s of basing artistic principles on primary colors in the manner of a Piet Mondrian, for example, which is alluded to in the humorous title.
The acquisition of the four versions of this 鈥渙nce-in-a century鈥� work of art by large and important collections and museums, such as the Stedelijk Museum or the Neue Nationalgalerie Berlin, led to an uproar in the 1980s; two of the paintings were even damaged in attacks. The meanwhile iconic title, which refers to Edward Albee鈥檚 play 鈥淲ho鈥檚 Afraid of Virginia Woolf鈥� (1962), has itself provided inspiration in the past few decades for composers, film directors and visual artists.
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