Thanksgiving Day 1973

Helen Frankenthaler, an abstract expressionist, created ‘Thanksgiving Day’ using her signature stain painting technique. Frankenthaler was born into a world shifting between traditional roles and modern possibilities. Raised in an upper-middle-class Jewish family in New York, her background provided her with cultural capital, enabling her entry into the male-dominated art world. Her soak-stain method involved pouring thinned paint onto unprimed canvas, creating fluid, translucent forms. In this work, the shapes blend together, forming a kind of quiet and beautiful harmony. The green dominates and feels a bit like a landscape. You can almost feel the crisp autumn air and the warmth of a shared meal. Frankenthaler's abstract language allowed her to push beyond the boundaries of traditional representation, creating new visual and emotional territories. The canvas becomes a space for exploring feelings; her paintings offer a sense of expansive freedom, inviting us to reflect on our own experiences.