Art of Another Kind: International Abstraction and the Guggenheim

The 1950s ushered in a diversity of fresh and bold artistic styles on both sides of the Atlantic. From the avant-garde movements Abstract Expressionism and Art Informel to artist groups Cobra and Dau al Set, the revitalization of experimental art following World War II signified a renewed interest in freedom of expression, spontaneity, and unorthodox materials. French art critic Michel Tapié enthusiastically declared the existence of un art autre (art of another kind)—a radical break with all traditional notions of order and composition in a movement toward something wholly "other." Drawn from the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum collection, this presentation seeks to consider a decade of vanguard activity and bring greater attention to some lesser-known pioneers alongside those long since canonized.

Art of Another Kind likewise celebrates a vital moment in the Guggenheim's history. Following Solomon R. Guggenheim's death in 1949 and the departure of founding director and curator Hilla Rebay in 1952, the museum's second director, James Johnson Sweeney, championed emerging avant-garde artists whom he called the "tastebreakers" of his day, the individuals who "break open and enlarge our artistic frontiers." The robust addition to the collection of contemporary painting and sculpture dating from the 1950s attests to Sweeney's commitment to the innovative art of his time, continuing the long-standing mission of the museum's founders. The current presentation features both those works presciently acquired in the 1950s—many of which were on display at the 1959 inaugural exhibition of the Frank Lloyd Wright–designed building—and those added to the Guggenheim's holdings through the present day.

This exhibition is organized by Tracey Bashkoff, Curator, Collections and Exhibitions, and Megan Fontanella, Assistant Curator, Collections and Provenance.

Art of Another Kind: International Abstraction and the Guggenheim, 1949–1960
Kuratoren: Tracey Bashkoff, Megan Fontanella

Künstler: Pierre Soulages, Constantin Brancusi, Mark Rothko, Louise Bourgeois, Emilio Vedova, Georges Mathieu, Alberto Burri ...