Abstraction Reconsidered: Terms, Histories, and the Women who Shaped Them
Schedule
Sun May 17 2026 at 01:00 pm to 02:00 pm
UTC-04:00Location
Speed Art Museum | Louisville, KY
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Join Chris Reitz, Director of the Hite Institute of Art and Design at the University of Louisville, for an engaging lecture connected to the exhibition Abstract Expressionists: The Women (on view May 16–August 30).This session will explore what “abstraction” means in art, how modern artists and critics invented the concept, and how historians are reconsidering it today. You’ll learn about the origins of modern abstract painting, about its redeployment in postwar Abstract Expressionism, and about the women who were central to both.
Through guided discussion and close looking, participants will develop their own understanding of abstraction, one that is thoughtful, flexible, and open to different perspectives. Students, artists, and anyone curious about art are encouraged to attend. After the seminar, participants are invited to visit the exhibition to continue the experience.
Chris Reitz is Director of the Hite Institute of Art and Design and Associate Professor of Critical and Curatorial Studies at the University of Louisville. He is the author of the book Martin Kippenberger: Everything is Everywhere.
This lecture session is free and open to the public.
Artwork credit:
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.
Headshot of Chris Reitz
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Where is it happening?
Speed Art Museum, 2035 S 3rd Street,Louisville, Kentucky, United StatesEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
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