Lee Krasner: Living Colour, Barbican Art Gallery

What is the result of two talented artists falling in love? In the case of Lee Krasner, many sacrifices. Her husband, Jackson Pollock, is known world-wide; the same is unfortunately not true of Krasner. This is not, however, due to any lack of talent on her part. Lee Krasner (1908-1984) was already an established artist when she met Pollock in 1941. Born in Brooklyn to Russian-Jewish parents, Krasner had an extensive artistic education, studying at the National Academy of Design and the Hans Hofmann School of Fine Arts. Her career spanned five decades and she is credited as a pioneer of the Abstract Expressionism movement. Despite this, she has frequently been overlooked in Europe and has walked in her husband's shadow.

But now an upcoming exhibition at the Barbican Art Gallery is set to change her course. Nearly 100 of Krasner’s pieces will go on display from May, in what will be the first European retrospective of her works in 50 years. This is also the first time many of her works will be shown in Europe, revealing ‘the sheer impact of her work’ to a new audience.

Palingenesis, 1971, Collection Pollock-Krasner Foundation. © The Pollock-Krasner Foundation, courtesy Kasmin Gallery, New York.

Highlights of the exhibition include works from all periods of Krasner’s career, from her early self-portraits to photos of the shop displays she designed as part of the war effort. Most interesting from a biographical view are the Umber and Primary series of paintings, created after Pollock’s death in 1956. Krasner chose to move out of her smaller rooms in their house into Pollock’s studio, providing her with her first opportunity to work on a large, un-stretched canvas. One of the works from this period on display is Icarus 1964, which highlights Krasner’s use of colour and biomorphic shapes.

Icarus, 1964, Thomson Family Collection, New York City. © The Pollock-Krasner Foundation, courtesy Kasmin Gallery, New York. Photo: Diego Flores.

The road to a European retrospective has been a long one for Krasner: throughout her career, she battled sexism in the industry and the overwhelming reputation of her husband. She is, as Samuel Sachs II, president of the Pollack-Krasner Foundation, says ‘an inspiring example of what can be achieved with both vision and tenacity’. The exhibition looks like it will be well worth the wait.