Berry Campbell Presents Major Perle Fine Abstract Expressionism Show

(MENAFN- USA Art News) An exhibition titled“Perle Fine: Ninth Street Woman” is on view at Berry Campbell in New York, featuring 15 paintings and works on paper by the Abstract Expressionist painter Perle Fine. The show, which spans her work from the 1940s to the early 1960s, runs through Saturday, October 24, 2026. This is the third exhibition at the gallery dedicated to Fine, and it is described as one of its most ambitious presentations.

The centerpiece of the exhibition is Wall of Silence, a roughly 14-foot diptych from 1961, drawn from the artist's estate. This work, characterized by its geometric fields and sweeping gestures, exemplifies the scale and confidence Fine achieved by the early 1960s. Earlier pieces, such as Aftermath of a Sweeping Storm ( 1958 ) and Pounding Surf ( 1959 ), along with works from her“Prescience Series” from the early 1950s, feature softer palettes and a heightened atmospheric quality. According to the gallery, these works anticipated themes found in Color Field painting by nearly a decade.

Fine's artistic training included studies at the Grand Central Art School and the Art Students League of New York, followed by instruction under Hans Hofmann in New York and Provincetown. Her career unfolded parallel to many formative moments of the New York School. Despite this, the gallery notes that her pivotal role in Abstract Expressionism remains largely unrecognized within the art historical canon.

In 1946, Fine joined the American Abstract Artists group. In 1951, she was one of only 11 women featured in the influential“Ninth Street Exhibition,” an artist-organized show that marked the emergence of Abstract Expressionism. Fine was also among the first to gain voting membership in the 8th Street Club, a downtown salon where Abstract Expressionist ideas were debated. Throughout her lifetime, Fine exhibited at prominent venues including Art of This Century, Betty Parsons, Stable, Tanager, and Graham galleries. Her work is held in the permanent collections of major institutions such as the National Gallery of Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.

Recent efforts have aimed to reintroduce Fine's work to the public and art world professionals. In 2016, the Denver Art Museum included her in its“Women of Abstract Expressionism” exhibition. Her art is also currently part of the touring exhibition“Abstract Expressionists: The Women,” organized by the American Federation of Arts. The current“Ninth Street Woman” show further builds on this momentum, and a monograph produced by Berry Campbell is set to be released this December. This renewed critical attention to Fine reflects a broader re-evaluation of the Abstract Expressionist canon, addressing what is now seen as a historical oversight rather than a reflection of her talent.

Source: Artnet News

MENAFN15092026005694012507ID1111670883