Chapter 1
The pioneers of the drip and splash
Chapter 2
Outsmarting the boys' club
Chapter 3
Radical breakthroughs in technique
Chapter 4
Broadening the canvas globally and culturally
Ch 2 · Outsmarting the boys' club
BETA
andy Sort overlooked paintings to discover the female abstract artists who outsmarted the boys' club.
andy Hedda Sterne's Lone Rebellion
Standing high on that table, the only woman in the frame — (Yeah, she changed the game!)
andy Corinne Michelle West adopted the name Michael on Arshile Gorky's advice, and Grace Hartigan signed as George to bypass gender bias
Quiz
Which female Abstract Expressionist painter adopted the name 'Michael West' to escape gender discrimination?
Quiz
Under what male pseudonym did painter Grace Hartigan sign her early abstract artworks?
Fun Fact
Hidden names: Artist Corinne West changed her name to Michael West because her mentor told her that a female name would hold her back in the art world.
Quiz
Aside from painting, in which field was Elaine de Kooning highly respected, helping to define the vocabulary of art?
Quiz
How did Elaine de Kooning sign her paintings to prevent sexist comparisons with her famous husband?
Glossary
pseudonym (noun)
A fictitious name, especially one used by an author. Grace Hartigan adopted a male name in the 1950s to circumvent sexist bias in New York.
A fictitious name, especially one used by an author. Grace Hartigan adopted a male name in the 1950s to circumvent sexist bias in New York.
Quiz
Which female artist was known for her sharp wit and ability to match the male painters drink-for-drink at the Cedar Tavern?
Quiz
What was the name of the famous Greenwich Village tavern where Abstract Expressionists met to debate art?
Quiz
Who was the only female artist featured in the famous 1951 Life magazine photograph of 'The Irascibles'?