Art / Exhibition / Abstract Expressionists: The Women

Abstract Expressionists: The Women

Joan Mitchell, "When They Were Gone", 1977

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Joan Mitchell
When They Were Gone, 1977
Oil on canvas, 94 x 71 in.
© Estate of Joan Mitchell.
Courtesy of the Levett Collection and FAMM
Photo: Fraser Marr.

Mercedes Matter
Untitled, 1936
Oil on canvas, 38 x 35 in.
Courtesy of Mark Borghi, the Levett
Collection, and FAMM
Photo: Fraser Marr

Claire Falkenstein
Untitled, 1946
Oil on canvas wrapped panel in artist’s wood sculptural frame, 14 ¼ x 17 ¼ in.
© The Falkenstein Foundation, Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery LLC, New York, NY, the Levett Collection, and FAMM
Photo: Fraser Marr

Grace Hartigan
Cedar Bar, 1951
Oil on canvas, 39 x 31 ¾ in.
Courtesy of Grace Hartigan Estate, the Levett Collection, and FAMM
Photo: Fraser Marr

Pat Passlof
Stove, 1959
Oil on linen, 77 x 69 in.
© The Milton Resnick and Pat Passlof Foundation. Courtesy of Eric Firestone Gallery, the Levett Collection, and FAMM Photo: Fraser Marr

May 16 – August 30, 2026

The Speed Art Museum is proud to present Abstract Expressionists: The Women, Kentucky’s first exhibition devoted to Abstract Expressionism. While we might be familiar with the story of artworks by Jackson Pollock or Willem de Kooning, this groundbreaking presentation celebrates the bold, innovative contributions of women who led the movement that transformed American art in the mid-20th century. Visitors will encounter over 30 major artists, including Helen Frankenthaler, Joan Mitchell, Vivian Springford, Grace Hartigan, and Lee Krasner, experiencing their work as it was meant to be seen—up close, in person, and at full scale.

Building on the Speed’s acclaimed series highlighting women artists—including Women Artists in the Age of Impressionism (2018) and Brilliant Exiles: American Women in Paris, 1900-1939 (2025)—this exhibition explores post-World War II America through the 1970s, a moment of radical experimentation that led to the first truly avant-garde movement born in the United States. Visitors will explore the work of women who broke artistic conventions, redefined art, and expanded the possibilities of scale, color, and process in ways that were revolutionary for their time.

From the sweeping abstract gestures of Frankenthaler’s Circus Landscape (1951) to the luminous colors of Springford’s Scuba Series (1972-1984/5), each work invites reflection, sparks curiosity, and celebrates creativity, risk-taking, and perseverance. Richly illustrated and thoughtfully curated, the exhibition also includes archival photographs, historical documents, and a timeline of female artistic achievement, providing context and insight into this pivotal period.

Experience the energy, action, and emotion of Abstract Expressionism in person through the groundbreaking work of women artists, whose bold vision helped shape this uniquely American art movement and changed how we see the world. Tickets will be available soon.

Abstract Expressionists: The Women is organized by the American Federation of Arts from the Christian Levett Collection and FAMM (Female Artists of the Mougins Museum), France. The exhibition is curated by Dr. Ellen G. Landau. It is generously supported by Berry Campbell Gallery, Betsy Shack Barbanell, Monique Schoen Warshaw, and Clare McKeon and the Clare McKeon Charitable Trust. Additional support has been provided by the Pollock-Krasner Foundation and the Every Page Foundation.

The Speed Art Museum’s presentation is organized by Tyler Blackwell, Curator of Contemporary Art.

Leading Sponsor

Martha and Kenneth Wertz
Anonymous, in honor of Jeanne D. Seelbach

Media Sponsor

WLKY Station Primary 1Color Dark RGB

2026 Exhibition Season Sponsors

Cary Brown and Steven E. Epstein
Susan Dabney Lavin and Allan Lavin
Todd P. Lowe and Fran C. Ratterman
Dr. Victoria Phillips and Travis Anderson

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