Woman I by Willem de Kooning

Woman I, 1950-1952, Abstract Expressionism, oil on canvas

Post World War II, Europe was facing the aftermath of war, while America was prospering with both wealth and culture. Abstract expressionism was an American art movement that boomed after World War II. New ideas were introduced into the art world, such as art that was too large to be placed into museums and performative art. Abstract expressionism was first discovered in New York and was America’s first avant garde movement. It had two major styles: action painting and color field painting. Action painting referred to art that was more focused on the action of making an art piece, rather than the outcome. On the other hand, color field painting entailed a solid spread of paint onto a canvas. 

Woman I is an example of an abstract expressionist piece of art. It is an oil on canvas painting by Willem de Kooning from 1950-1952. It depicts a woman with a ferocious look on her face. She has huge eyes, large teeth, a frozen grin, and a blank stare. The woman’s pose is inspired by an image that Kooning saw in a magazine, and, at the same time, the smile was taken from a woman in a camel cigarette advertisement. The figure coerces the viewer to experience feelings of discomfort because of the woman’s grotesque look. 

The painting itself is rooted in figurative art and the energetic application of paint. The strokes look messy, but they are completely purposeful. Kooning actually employed techniques to achieve this undisciplined look, including scraping, wiping, and blotting. 

Woman I is clearly a satirical artwork that is meant to criticize the classical standard of female beauty and the way that women are represented in society. It questions the way women are supposed to look in the media by mocking the way they are shown in magazine advertisements and distorting them in a strange way. Kooning displays a tension between aggression and femininity by creating a piece that utilizes both, challenging the traditionally timid representations of women. 

Abstract expressionism marked a great breakthrough in American art history through its novel and unique ideas. It paved the way for future art movements such as pop art and minimalism.