Butterfly Of Winter 1985

Ronnie Landfield made this abstract painting, "Butterfly of Winter," with watercolor. It has an ethereal quality because he used transparent paints that allow light to shine through, creating a sense of luminosity and depth. In the latter half of the 20th century, art institutions in the United States played a significant role in promoting abstract expressionism, and Landfield was a part of this movement. During the Cold War era, abstract art was promoted as a symbol of American freedom and individualism, contrasting with the more rigid and representational art styles often associated with communist regimes. How did this institutional context influence the artwork? It is neither explicitly conservative or progressive but may implicitly affirm values of spontaneity that were specific to the social climate of the time. To understand Landfield's work fully, we could explore exhibition records, critical reviews, and artists' statements from the period. Art's meaning is always tied to its specific social and institutional context.