Untitled (Abstraction) 

Betty Parsons made this untitled abstraction at an unknown date, with an unknown medium. Parsons was born in 1900 into a wealthy family, but during the Great Depression she turned her back on that world to become an artist. This work is a marvelous window into how Parson’s own life experiences led her to create art which challenged societal expectations. Its abstraction disrupts conventional forms of representation, mirroring her own break from a more traditional existence. The somewhat muted colors and geometric forms evoke an urban landscape, with its tensions and rhythms, yet remain elusive in their precise reference. Parsons's work creates a space for alternative narratives to emerge. She once said that, ‘an artist has to go his own way and not be afraid to do a thing because it is different.’ This piece is part of her journey to be different, to embrace experimentation, and to create a visual language that defies easy categorization.