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After “The Wild”: Contemporary Art from The Barnett and Annalee Newman Foundation Collection

Mar. 24 – Oct. 1, 2023

After “The Wild”: Contemporary Art from The Barnett and Annalee Newman Foundation Collection highlights works by 47 intergenerational and internationally-based artists made between 1963 – 2023.

Barnett Newman (1905-1970) is among the most influential artists associated with Abstract Expressionism. Largely overlooked by critics, curators, and collectors until his later years, he was nonetheless a stalwart and generous supporter of his colleagues, befriending and mentoring countless younger artists. To them, Newman appeared not as an old master but as a true peer—curious, engaged, and as eager to delve into the nuances of technique as to art’s philosophical underpinnings. After his death, Annalee Newman, his widow, created The Barnett and Annalee Newman Foundation to help further the spirit of great art that Barnett Newman so clearly exhibited, by giving grants from 2004 to 2020. Diverse in style, training, background, and age, The Foundation’s grantees—whose works comprise this exhibition—share Newman’s seriousness of purpose, as well as his unflagging drive to explore the outer limits of his own ideas.

The  works featured in this exhibition are part of a larger gift to the Jewish Museum in 2018 comprising artworks made by the recipients of The Barnett and Annalee Newman Foundation Award:

Larry Bell, American, b. 1939

Amnon Ben-Ami, Israeli, b. 1955

Lynda Benglis, American, b. 1941

Natvar Bhavsar, American, b. India 1934

Mark Bradford, American, b. 1961

Luca Buvoli, Italian, b. 1963

Tony Cragg, British, b. 1949

Ronald Davis, American, b. 1937

Richard Deacon, British, b. Wales, 1949

Melvin Edwards, American, b. 1937

Rafael Ferrer, Puerto Rican, b. 1933

Mark Gibian, American, b. 1954

Sam Gilliam, American, 1933-2022

Cai Guo-Qiang, Chinese, b. 1957

Peter Halley, American, b. 1953

Tim Hawkinson, American, b. 1960

Michael Heizer, American, b. 1944

Eva Hild, Swedish, b. 1966

Rebecca Horn, German, b. 1944

Bryan Hunt, American, b. 1947

Richard Howard Hunt, American, b. 1935

Theo Jansen, Dutch, b. 1948

Joan Jonas, American, b. 1936

Mel Kendrick, American, b. 1949

Anne Lilly, American, b. 1966

Andrew Lyght, American, b. Guyana, 1949

Kerry James Marshall, American, b. 1955

Julie Mehretu, American, b. Ethiopia, 1970

Robert Murray, Canadian and American, b. 1936

Serge Alain Nitegeka, South African, b. Burundi, 1983

David Novros, American, b. 1941

Frank Owen, American, b. 1939

Gary Petersen, American, b. 1956

Judy Pfaff, American, b. England, 1946

Larry Poons, American, b. Japan, 1937

Nuno Ramos, Brazilian, b. 1960

Nancy Rubins, American, b. 1952

Richard Serra, American, b. 1938

Richard Smith, British, 1931-2016

Keith Sonnier, American, 1941-2020

Sarah Sze, American, b. 1969

Philip Taaffe, American, b. 1955

Fred Tomaselli, American, b. 1956

Elizabeth Turk, American, b. 1961

Richard Van Buren, American, b. 1937

Terry Winters, American, b. 1949

Jack Youngerman, American, 1926-2020

Alexander Yulikov, Russian, b. 1943 (Yuulikov’s work is not available for this exhibition)

 

The exhibition begins in the First Floor Galleries with works by Amon Ben-Ami, Lynda Benglis, Natvar Bhavsar, Mark Bradford, Ronald Davis, Richard Deacon, Melvin Edwards, Rafael Ferrer, Mark Gibian, Sam Gilliam, Cai Guo-Qiang, Peter Halley, Tim Hawkinson, Michael Heizer, Rebecca Horn, Bryan Hunt, Richard Howard Hunt, Joan Jonas, Andrew Lyght, Kerry James, Marshall, Julie Mehretu, Robert Murray, Serge Alain Nitegeka, David Novros, Frank Owen, Gary Petersen, Judy Pfaff, Larry Poons, Nuno Ramos, Nancy Rubins, Richard Serra, Richard Smith, Keith Sonnier, Sarah Sze, Fred Tomaselli, Elizabeth Turk, Richard Van Buren, Terry Winters, and Jack Youngerman. The exhibition continues on the Third Floor with works by Luca Buvoli, Tony Cragg, Eva Hild, Theo Jansen, Mel Kendrick, Anne Lilly, and Philip Taaffe.

After “The Wild”: Contemporary Art from The Barnett and Annalee Newman Foundation Collection is organized by guest curator Kelly Taxter, with Shira Backer, Leon Levy Associate Curator, The Jewish Museum. Exhibition design is by Ivi Diamantopoulou and Jaffer Kolb, New Affiliates.

This exhibition is made possible by The Barnett and Annalee Newman Foundation.

Digital guide supported by Bloomberg Connects.

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An abstract metallic sculpture mounted on a light gray background. The irregular, organic form appears as a tangled mass of shiny, silver-colored material with numerous crevices, folds, and protrusions. The reflective surface highlights the intricate textures and complex layering, giving it a fluid, almost molten appearance.

Lynda Benglis, Figure 6, 2012. Aluminum. 48 1/2 x 102 x 29 in. 72392.01. The Jewish Museum, NY. Gift of The Barnett and Annalee Newman Foundation. Photo: Melissa Goodwin, courtesy Pace Gallery, New York. © Lynda Benglis / Licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Exhibition highlights

  • A dynamic, abstract composition resembling an explosion or starburst, set against a vivid blue background with scattered white dots. The central form consists of numerous sharp, angular shapes in a variety of colors including red, black, yellow, green, white, and tan, arranged in a radial pattern. Embedded within the angular elements are small hands, eyes, and snippets of text, adding intricate detail. Several elongated, jewel-like shapes radiate outward, enhancing the sense of motion and energy.

    Fred Tomaselli, Study for June 2, 2018, 2018. Mixed media on panel. 24 × 24 × 1 5/16 in. (61 × 61 × 3.3 cm). The Jewish Museum, NY. Gift of The Barnett and Annalee Newman Foundation. © Fred Tomaselli

  • A vibrant, mixed-media wall installation combining layered floral illustrations, circular patterns, and three-dimensional sculptural elements. The background features panels decorated with botanical drawings. Multiple framed sections contain abstract prints with spirals, concentric circles, and intricate designs. A large circular element with radiating rainbow-colored layers occupies the lower right. Above it, a dynamic cluster of translucent, crumpled, and brightly colored plastic-like materials emerges, adding depth and movement. The composition is energetic, colorful, and highly detailed, blending natural imagery with abstract forms.

    Judy Pfaff, Quartet 5, 2018. Digital image on MDF, wire, aluminum discs, acrylic, melted plastic, paper lantern, framed works (oil stick and encaustic on vintage Indian ledger paper). 125 x 155 in. The Jewish Museum, NY. Gift of The Barnett and Annalee Newman Foundation. Photo courtesy Miles McEnery Gallery. © Judy Pfaff.

  • An abstract mixed-media artwork with rough, textured layers of red, white, black, and gray. The surface resembles a chaotic, marbled background with heavy impasto-like textures. Scattered across the piece are partially legible words in large, outlined capital letters, including

    Mark Bradford, Black Dot, 2019. Mixed media on panel. 19 × 28 in. (48.3 × 71.1 cm). Overall (framed): 22 5/16 × 31 1/2 × 2 1/8 in. (56.7 × 80 × 5.4 cm). The Jewish Museum, NY. Gift of The Barnett and Annalee Newman Foundation. © Mark Bradford.

  • View through glass doors into an art gallery exhibition titled AFTER

    Installation view of After "The Wild": Contemporary Art from The Barnett and Annalee Newman Foundation Collection at the Jewish Museum, NY, March 24-October 1, 2023. Photo by Kris Graves. Courtesy the Jewish Museum, NY.

  • Art gallery interior with three minimalist works displayed. On the left, a neon light sculpture composed of bright green, pink, and orange horizontal and vertical lines sits on a white platform. On the center wall, a square canvas painted orange with a white and light blue diagonal stripe appears to lean forward from the wall. On the right wall, a large geometric green painting features two stacked arrow-like shapes pointing in opposite directions. The gallery has neutral lighting and gray flooring, with the label

    Installation view of After "The Wild": Contemporary Art from The Barnett and Annalee Newman Foundation Collection at the Jewish Museum, NY, March 24-October 1, 2023. Photo by Kris Graves. Courtesy the Jewish Museum, NY.

  • Interior view of the Joe & Emily Lowe Gallery with three contemporary abstract paintings displayed. On the left wall hangs a tall vertical painting with bold black curved and angular shapes layered over pale blue, white, and yellow geometric areas. The center features a large drawing with a translucent appearance, combining black, gray, and blue shapes, including a prominent black half-circle. On the right wall, two stacked abstract works with loose black and yellow gestural lines and smudges fill a white background, evoking a more spontaneous and organic feel.

    Installation view of After "The Wild": Contemporary Art from The Barnett and Annalee Newman Foundation Collection at the Jewish Museum, NY, March 24-October 1, 2023. Photo by Kris Graves. Courtesy the Jewish Museum, NY.

  • Gallery view of a contemporary art exhibit with multiple works. Left: angular orange metal sculpture; center: organic silver metal sculpture on white pedestal; back wall: geometric paintings with circular, radial designs in blue, red, and yellow; right: colorful wall-mounted mixed media assemblage with flowers, collage, and transparent shapes; vertical white sculpture on black pedestal in foreground.

    Installation view of After "The Wild": Contemporary Art from The Barnett and Annalee Newman Foundation Collection at the Jewish Museum, NY, March 24-October 1, 2023. Photo by Kris Graves. Courtesy the Jewish Museum, NY.

  • Gallery view with three contemporary artworks: left, a circular geometric painting with radiating yellow, blue, black, and white shapes; center, a large colorful mixed media wall assemblage with floral patterns, collage, and translucent forms; right, a tall white sculptural column on a black pedestal.

    Installation view of After "The Wild": Contemporary Art from The Barnett and Annalee Newman Foundation Collection at the Jewish Museum, NY, March 24-October 1, 2023. Photo by Kris Graves. Courtesy the Jewish Museum, NY.

  • Gallery wall with four artworks: left, a red square relief sculpture; next, an angular orange geometric sculpture; center, a large blue and red mandala-like painting; right, a circular abstract painting with yellow, black, and white segments.

    Installation view of After "The Wild": Contemporary Art from The Barnett and Annalee Newman Foundation Collection at the Jewish Museum, NY, March 24-October 1, 2023. Photo by Kris Graves. Courtesy the Jewish Museum, NY.

  • Gallery with three wall artworks and one sculpture: left, a colorful geometric abstract painting; center, a small pink abstract sculpture on a pedestal and a red diamond-shaped relief; right, a large orange angular geometric sculpture.

    Installation view of After "The Wild": Contemporary Art from The Barnett and Annalee Newman Foundation Collection at the Jewish Museum, NY, March 24-October 1, 2023. Photo by Kris Graves. Courtesy the Jewish Museum, NY.

  • View of multiple gallery rooms separated by walls; visible are abstract paintings, colorful wall collages, framed works on paper, and sculptures.

    Installation view of After "The Wild": Contemporary Art from The Barnett and Annalee Newman Foundation Collection at the Jewish Museum, NY, March 24-October 1, 2023. Photo by Kris Graves. Courtesy the Jewish Museum, NY.

  • A modern art gallery installation featuring various abstract works. On the left wall hangs a large, colorful spiral painting with concentric circles in red, green, black, and white, creating an optical illusion effect. In the center foreground stands a tall, glossy black abstract sculpture on a pedestal, composed of a twisting, organic form. Toward the back, on a wooden table, sits a blue abstract sculpture, while a white translucent geometric sculpture is displayed in a glass case in the center rear. The right wall features a large grayscale photograph or mural of an architectural structure. The gallery space has a polished gray floor, dark ceiling with track lighting, and minimalist white walls.

    Installation view of After "The Wild": Contemporary Art from The Barnett and Annalee Newman Foundation Collection at the Jewish Museum, NY, March 24-October 1, 2023. Photo by Kris Graves. Courtesy the Jewish Museum, NY.

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The Jewish Museum · After “The Wild”: Contemporary Art from the Barnett and Annalee Newman Foundation Collection

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The Jewish Museum · Verbal Descriptions of After “The Wild”