Untitled 1979

Seymour Lipton created this untitled drawing with graphite on paper in 1979. The biomorphic forms and cubist-inspired lines give us insight into the mid-century art world and the cultural institutions that supported it. In the post-war period, artists grappled with the trauma and social upheaval that marked the twentieth century. Many moved away from representational art and experimented with abstraction in an effort to find new ways to express complex feelings. Museums and galleries became important places for people to engage with these new visual languages. Lipton's sculpture was exhibited widely in museums, exposing a broad public to his unique vocabulary of forms. Art historians consult exhibition catalogs, reviews, and the artist’s own writings to understand the meaning and impact of such work in its time. Artworks like this one challenge our assumptions about the public role of art and how institutions shape the production and reception of art.