"I think of color as being seen in and throughout, not solely on the surface."
Jules Olitski (b. 1922, Snovsk, Ukraine; d. 2007, New York, NY) was a pivotal figure in the development of Color Field painting and a key proponent of post-painterly abstraction. Raised in Brooklyn, Olitski's early education in the arts began with scholarships to Pratt Institute and the National Academy of Design. His artistic practice was shaped by formative years in Paris, where he immersed himself in the work of European modern masters and engaged in self-reflection, even experimenting with blindfolded painting to liberate himself from habitual approaches. After returning to New York in the early 1950s, Olitski received his B.A. and M.A. in art education from New York University. His teaching career began at C.W. Post College, where he became head of the Fine Art Division, while establishing himself as an influential voice in the New York art scene.
Renowned art critic Clement Greenberg championed his work, guiding Olitski’s transition from gestural abstraction to the pioneering approach and technique for which he would be celebrated. Olitski’s distinctive approach to staining unprimed canvas with acrylics set him apart from his contemporaries and contributed to the Color Field movement. His experiments with industrial spray guns in the mid-1960s introduced the groundbreaking method of applying diaphanous layers of paint, allowing for the ethereal suspension of color in space. This technique stripped the act of painting down to its purest essence: color itself. In the 1960s, Olitski's innovative spray paintings garnered international acclaim: he represented the United States at the 33rd Venice Biennale in 1966. His career flourished throughout the following decades, marked by major exhibitions at the Corcoran Gallery of Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Yet, Olitski's work remained fluid, continually evolving in response to his inner vision and the shifting landscape of contemporary art.
The 1970s saw a return to a more tactile, impasto technique, reminiscent of the Abstract Expressionist era, while his later works embraced bolder tones and a baroque sensibility, culminating in the vivid, emotionally charged abstractions of his final series, With Love and Disregard (2002). Olitski’s lifelong commitment to experimentation with color, light, and texture ensured his place as one of the foremost innovators of the 20th century. His work continues to resonate in contemporary art, inviting viewers to experience the profound emotive power of pure color.