Infinite Concept Universe
Abstract Expressionism Universe is connected to ICUArtists · works · materials · process · history · contested interpretations · Studio Lab · evidence and rights boundaries remain visible
Skip to main content

Abstract Expressionism Universe

Gallery · Slow, spacious looking with restrained metadata and generous visual breathing room.

Explore this universe

Generation D / Exhibition + Curator Mode

Curator Mode: build an argument, not a historical reconstruction.

Select three to six source-backed artwork records, write a curatorial thesis, inspect rights and exhibition uncertainty, and use the review as an evidence checklist rather than a grade of taste.

Learning objective

Make an interpretive claim and keep the evidence visible.

Build a small hypothetical exhibition around an explicit thesis, inspect source-backed work metadata and exhibition context, and distinguish curatorial interpretation from historical exhibition reconstruction or aesthetic ranking.

Method: The candidate pool is a deliberately constrained editorial sample of existing AEU artwork records. Candidate cards read title, artist, date, medium, documented dimensions, current source IDs, current exhibition links, media-family classifications when explicitly stored, and item-level RightsRecords. The interface never infers a missing media classification by parsing medium text. Its review reports descriptive spread and evidence availability only.

Historical checklist rule: Historical exhibition links are contextual evidence only. A verified_partial checklist contains only the source-verified entries currently represented; an omitted artist or work cannot be treated as historically absent. Later institutional inclusion can support historiographic framing but does not retroactively prove movement membership.

Rights rule: No historical artwork image is bundled for Curator Mode in this portable package. Candidate visuals are proportional dimension/metadata guides derived from documented dimensions plus text. External work pages remain the destination for image access when permitted. A later full-ICU visual/resources audit may replace a fallback only when reuse rights and the exact asset are validated.

Curator’s Desk

1. State the exhibition thesis.

The default is a worked example. Change the lens or write your own proposition; no thesis text is persisted by this portable page.

Source-backed candidate pool

2. Select 3–6 records.

4 selected / 3–6 requested

Candidate order is editorial interface order only. It is not a historical room, wall order, or floor plan.

Candidate 1

One: Number 31, 1950

Jackson Pollock · 1950

Medium
Oil and enamel paint on canvas
Documented media-family label
unclassified in the current corpus
Dimensions
269.5 × 530.8 cm
Collection
The Museum of Modern Art
Rights fallback
copyrighted_no_license / metadata_only

Bundled display blocked by copyrighted_no_license/metadata_only.

Evidence trail · 1 direct source
  • Jackson Pollock. One: Number 31, 1950. 1950museum collection · authority tier 1 · The Museum of Modern ArtOpen source ↗
Exhibition context · 1 linked record
  • Abstract Expressionist New YorkOct 3, 2010–Apr 25, 2011 · checklist verified partial · 2 currently verified artwork entriesAEU stores only source-verified checklist entries currently in the corpus. Absence from this partial checklist cannot establish historical exclusion.

Candidate 2

No. 10

Mark Rothko · 1950

Medium
Oil on canvas
Documented media-family label
unclassified in the current corpus
Dimensions
229.6 × 145.1 cm
Collection
The Museum of Modern Art
Rights fallback
copyrighted_no_license / metadata_only

Bundled display blocked by copyrighted_no_license/metadata_only.

Evidence trail · 1 direct source
  • Mark Rothko. No. 10. 1950museum collection · authority tier 1 · The Museum of Modern ArtOpen source ↗
Exhibition context · 1 linked record
  • Abstract Expressionist New YorkOct 3, 2010–Apr 25, 2011 · checklist verified partial · 2 currently verified artwork entriesAEU stores only source-verified checklist entries currently in the corpus. Absence from this partial checklist cannot establish historical exclusion.

Candidate 3

The Seasons

Lee Krasner · 1957

Medium
Oil and house paint on canvas
Documented media-family label
unclassified in the current corpus
Dimensions
235.6 × 517.8 cm
Collection
Whitney Museum of American Art
Rights fallback
copyrighted_no_license / metadata_only

Bundled display blocked by copyrighted_no_license/metadata_only.

Evidence trail · 2 direct sources
  • Lee Krasner | The Seasonsmuseum collection · authority tier 1 · Whitney Museum of American ArtOpen source ↗
  • Lee Krasnermuseum artist record · authority tier 1 · Whitney Museum of American ArtOpen source ↗
Exhibition context · 0 linked records

No exhibition ID is attached to this artwork record in the current fixture. That absence is not evidence that the work was never exhibited.

Candidate 4

Evening Rendezvous

Norman Lewis · 1962

Medium
Oil on linen
Documented media-family label
unclassified in the current corpus
Dimensions
127.7 × 163.3 cm
Collection
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Rights fallback
unclear / metadata_only

Bundled display blocked by unclear/metadata_only.

Evidence trail · 2 direct sources
  • Evening Rendezvousmuseum collection · authority tier 1 · Smithsonian American Art MuseumOpen source ↗
  • Oh Freedom! Norman Lewismuseum education · authority tier 1 · Smithsonian American Art MuseumOpen source ↗
Exhibition context · 0 linked records

No exhibition ID is attached to this artwork record in the current fixture. That absence is not evidence that the work was never exhibited.

Candidate 5

Woman I

Willem de Kooning · 1950–52

Medium
Oil and metallic paint on canvas
Documented media-family label
unclassified in the current corpus
Dimensions
192.7 × 147.3 cm
Collection
The Museum of Modern Art
Rights fallback
copyrighted_no_license / metadata_only

Bundled display blocked by copyrighted_no_license/metadata_only.

Evidence trail · 1 direct source
  • Willem de Kooning. Woman I. 1950–52museum collection · authority tier 1 · The Museum of Modern ArtOpen source ↗
Exhibition context · 0 linked records

No exhibition ID is attached to this artwork record in the current fixture. That absence is not evidence that the work was never exhibited.

Candidate 6

Sub-Marine

Perle Fine · 1948

Medium
Opaque watercolor and graphite pencil on paper
Documented media-family label
unclassified in the current corpus
Dimensions
56.8 × 78.7 cm
Collection
Whitney Museum of American Art
Rights fallback
unclear / metadata_only

Bundled display blocked by unclear/metadata_only.

Evidence trail · 1 direct source
  • Perle Fine. Sub-Marine. 1948museum collection · authority tier 1 · Whitney Museum of American ArtOpen source ↗
Exhibition context · 1 linked record
  • Labyrinth of Forms: Women and Abstraction, 1930–1950Oct 9, 2021–Mar 13, 2022 · checklist verified partial · 1 currently verified artwork entryAEU stores only source-verified checklist entries currently in the corpus. Absence from this partial checklist cannot establish historical exclusion.

Candidate 7

Shinnecock Canal

Grace Hartigan · 1957

Medium
Oil on canvas
Documented media-family label
unclassified in the current corpus
Dimensions
229.8 × 193 cm
Collection
The Museum of Modern Art
Rights fallback
copyrighted_no_license / metadata_only

Bundled display blocked by copyrighted_no_license/metadata_only.

Evidence trail · 1 direct source
  • Grace Hartigan. Shinnecock Canal. 1957museum collection · authority tier 1 · The Museum of Modern ArtOpen source ↗
Exhibition context · 1 linked record
  • Making Space: Women Artists and Postwar AbstractionApr 15–Aug 13, 2017 · checklist verified partial · 2 currently verified artwork entriesAEU stores only source-verified checklist entries currently in the corpus. Absence from this partial checklist cannot establish historical exclusion.

Candidate 8

The Eclipse

Alma Thomas · 1970

Medium
Acrylic on canvas
Documented media-family label
unclassified in the current corpus
Dimensions
157.5 × 126.4 cm
Collection
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Rights fallback
unclear / external_link_only

Bundled display blocked by unclear/external_link_only.

Evidence trail · 1 direct source
  • Alma Thomas. The Eclipse. 1970museum collection · authority tier 1 · Smithsonian American Art MuseumOpen source ↗
Exhibition context · 0 linked records

No exhibition ID is attached to this artwork record in the current fixture. That absence is not evidence that the work was never exhibited.

Candidate 9

April 4, (Part III)

Sam Gilliam · 1968

Medium
Acrylic on canvas
Documented media-family label
unclassified in the current corpus
Dimensions
289.6 × 53.3 × 10.2 cm
Collection
The Studio Museum in Harlem
Rights fallback
unclear / external_link_only

Bundled display blocked by unclear/external_link_only.

Evidence trail · 1 direct source
  • Sam Gilliam. April 4, (Part III). 1968museum collection · authority tier 1 · The Studio Museum in HarlemOpen source ↗
Exhibition context · 0 linked records

No exhibition ID is attached to this artwork record in the current fixture. That absence is not evidence that the work was never exhibited.

Candidate 10

Twenty-Four Greek Y’s

David Smith · 1950

Medium
Painted steel
Documented media-family label
sculpture
Dimensions
108.6 × 73.9 × 15.2 cm
Collection
The Museum of Modern Art
Rights fallback
external_reference_only / external_link_only

Bundled display blocked by external_reference_only/external_link_only.

Evidence trail · 1 direct source
  • David Smith. Twenty-Four Greek Y’s. 1950museum object · authority tier 1 · The Museum of Modern ArtOpen source ↗
Exhibition context · 1 linked record
  • Abstract Expressionist New York: Rock Paper ScissorsOctober 3, 2010–February 28, 2011 · checklist verified partial · 2 currently verified artwork entriesAEU stores only source-verified checklist entries currently in the corpus. Absence from this partial checklist cannot establish historical exclusion.

Candidate 11

Sky Cathedral

Louise Nevelson · 1958

Medium
Painted wood
Documented media-family label
sculpture, assemblage
Dimensions
343.9 × 305.4 × 45.7 cm
Collection
The Museum of Modern Art
Rights fallback
external_reference_only / external_link_only

Bundled display blocked by external_reference_only/external_link_only.

Evidence trail · 1 direct source
  • Louise Nevelson. Sky Cathedral. 1958museum object · authority tier 1 · The Museum of Modern ArtOpen source ↗
Exhibition context · 0 linked records

No exhibition ID is attached to this artwork record in the current fixture. That absence is not evidence that the work was never exhibited.

Candidate 12

Number 13

Anne Ryan · 1948

Medium
Cut-and-pasted colored and printed paper, cloth, and crayon on paper
Documented media-family label
collage
Dimensions
20 × 17.1 cm
Collection
The Museum of Modern Art
Rights fallback
external_reference_only / external_link_only

Bundled display blocked by external_reference_only/external_link_only.

Evidence trail · 1 direct source
  • Anne Ryan. Number 13. 1948museum object · authority tier 1 · The Museum of Modern ArtOpen source ↗
Exhibition context · 0 linked records

No exhibition ID is attached to this artwork record in the current fixture. That absence is not evidence that the work was never exhibited.

Candidate 13

Sleeping Figure

Conrad Marca-Relli · 1953–54

Medium
Collaged painted canvas
Documented media-family label
collage
Dimensions
132.4 × 197.3 cm
Collection
The Museum of Modern Art
Rights fallback
external_reference_only / external_link_only

Bundled display blocked by external_reference_only/external_link_only.

Evidence trail · 1 direct source
  • Conrad Marca-Relli. Sleeping Figure. 1953–54museum object · authority tier 1 · The Museum of Modern ArtOpen source ↗
Exhibition context · 0 linked records

No exhibition ID is attached to this artwork record in the current fixture. That absence is not evidence that the work was never exhibited.

Candidate 14

From Japan

Dorothy Dehner · 1951

Medium
Watercolor, ink, and charcoal on paper
Documented media-family label
drawing
Dimensions
46 × 58.1 cm
Collection
The Museum of Modern Art
Rights fallback
external_reference_only / external_link_only

Bundled display blocked by external_reference_only/external_link_only.

Evidence trail · 1 direct source
  • Dorothy Dehner. From Japan. 1951museum object · authority tier 1 · The Museum of Modern ArtOpen source ↗
Exhibition context · 0 linked records

No exhibition ID is attached to this artwork record in the current fixture. That absence is not evidence that the work was never exhibited.

Candidate 15

New Jersey 5

Aaron Siskind · 1950

Medium
Gelatin silver print
Documented media-family label
photography
Dimensions
20.7 × 33.7 cm
Collection
The Museum of Modern Art
Rights fallback
external_reference_only / external_link_only

Bundled display blocked by external_reference_only/external_link_only.

Evidence trail · 1 direct source
  • Aaron Siskind. New Jersey 5. 1950museum object · authority tier 1 · The Museum of Modern ArtOpen source ↗
Exhibition context · 0 linked records

No exhibition ID is attached to this artwork record in the current fixture. That absence is not evidence that the work was never exhibited.

Candidate 16

Pancho Villa, Dead and Alive

Robert Motherwell · 1943

Medium
Cut-and-pasted printed and painted papers, wood veneer, gouache, oil, and ink on board
Documented media-family label
collage
Dimensions
71.7 × 91.1 cm
Collection
The Museum of Modern Art
Rights fallback
external_reference_only / external_link_only

Bundled display blocked by external_reference_only/external_link_only.

Evidence trail · 1 direct source
  • Robert Motherwell. Pancho Villa, Dead and Alive. 1943museum object · authority tier 1 · The Museum of Modern ArtOpen source ↗
Exhibition context · 0 linked records

No exhibition ID is attached to this artwork record in the current fixture. That absence is not evidence that the work was never exhibited.

Evidence review

3. Inspect the selection without grading it.

The review does not grade beauty, importance, historical significance, correctness, or curatorial quality. It reports whether a thesis is present, how many source-bearing records are selected, temporal and documented-media spread, current exhibition-context links, rights fallback state, and checklist uncertainty. Those descriptors are prompts for human judgment, not an automated verdict.

Default example. Four records are preselected so the base HTML demonstrates the activity without JavaScript. Use the evidence/source details on each card, then run the enhanced review if available.

Interpretive safeguards

What this activity will not claim.

Historical exhibition

This is a new hypothetical exhibition assembled by the visitor. It does not recreate a historical exhibition, floor plan, room sequence, wall order, attendance list, dealer program, or original curator intent. Selecting a work here never edits AEU's historical exhibition records or relationship graph.

Checklist completeness

Historical exhibition links are contextual evidence only. A verified_partial checklist contains only the source-verified entries currently represented; an omitted artist or work cannot be treated as historically absent. Later institutional inclusion can support historiographic framing but does not retroactively prove movement membership.

Image reuse

No historical artwork image is bundled for Curator Mode in this portable package. Candidate visuals are proportional dimension/metadata guides derived from documented dimensions plus text. External work pages remain the destination for image access when permitted. A later full-ICU visual/resources audit may replace a fallback only when reuse rights and the exact asset are validated.

Human judgment

The review does not grade beauty, importance, historical significance, correctness, or curatorial quality. It reports whether a thesis is present, how many source-bearing records are selected, temporal and documented-media spread, current exhibition-context links, rights fallback state, and checklist uncertainty. Those descriptors are prompts for human judgment, not an automated verdict.

Private wording

The portable interaction keeps thesis and wall-text wording in the page only and does not persist it. ICU analytics hooks, if wired later, receive bounded event metadata such as selected-work count and lens identifier; they must not transmit thesis or rationale text.

Accessible fallback

Native checkboxes, select, textarea, and button controls remain keyboard-operable. Each rights-safe fallback has a descriptive accessible label, exact metadata remains visible as text, the selected count and review use live text, and the default four-work example plus all evidence/checklist notes are meaningful without JavaScript.

ICU / CONNECTED DISCOVERY

Nearby in Infinite Concept Universe

Recommendations use ICU's bounded public graph. AEU source relationships keep documented fact, editorial mapping, contextual proximity, and interpretation distinct; proximity never becomes an influence claim.

Loading public connections…

See reverse connections
    Part of Infinite Concept Universe · All Universes · Explore ICU · Global Search · My Universe