Pastel I 1971

Robert Goodnough created Pastel I with pastel on canvas during a period of significant shifts in American art institutions. This work uses gentle color and minimal forms, which is an example of the artist’s move away from the gestural dynamism of Abstract Expressionism towards a more restrained visual language. Goodnough was part of a second generation of abstract expressionists working in the United States after World War II. This was a time when museums and galleries were becoming increasingly important in shaping the art world. Artists began to explore new ways of making art that spoke to the changing social landscape. Understanding "Pastel I" requires that we investigate the cultural institutions and artistic debates of its time. Researching exhibition histories, critical reviews, and artists' statements helps us to understand the social conditions that shaped Goodnough's art and its place within a broader cultural narrative.