Abstract expressionism is defined as an American post-WWII art movement developed in New York. Wikipedia writes "Technically, an important predecessor is surealism, with its emphasis on spontaneous, automatic or subconscious creation." Jackson Pollock's dripping paint onto a canvas laid on the floor is a technique that Francis used sometimes but with primary colors. The Wikipedia entry goes on: "The movement's name is derived from the combination of the emotional intensity and self-denial of the German Expressionists...Additionally, it has an image of being rebellious, anarchic, highly idiosyncratic and some feel, nihilistic." This is attributed to David/Cecile Shapiro (2000).
Samuel Lewis Francis was born in 1923 in San Mateo, CA. He started to study pre-med at Cal. Berkeley but joined the U.S. Air Force during WWII. He was injured during test flight maneuvers and was hospitalized for several years with spinal T.B. While there, artist David Park visited him and he taught Francis to paint. He later returned to Berkeley to study art and received his MA in 1950. He then took off for Paris for a number of years and learned from the works of french painters such as Matisse and his use of color.
Francis was married five times and built his Santa Monica studio and Lapis Press for printmaking and for producing "unusual and timely texts in visually compelling formats." He married his last wife, painter Margaret Smith, in a Shinto ceremony in Japan in 1985. Their son, Augustus, is also an artist. He died in 1994 from prostate cancer but created 150 small paintings during his last year using his left hand.
Below are photos of four of Francis' paintings I saw on Wednesday.
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| "Mantis," 1960-61, oil on canvas MOCA, LA |
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| "Blue and Yellow," 1954-55, oil on canvas, Broad Collection |
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| "Untitled," 1973 acrylic and oil on canvas, Sam Francis Foundation |
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| "Untitled (Self-Portrait)," 1974 acrylic on paper, Hammer Museum |
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