Composition (Drawing) 

Hedda Sterne made this drawing, Composition, using ink on paper, but when, we don’t know. Its wispy lines seem to float weightlessly, like seaweed in the ocean. Sterne, a Romanian-American artist, explored the relationship between abstraction and representation in her work. Sterne was associated with the New York School of abstract expressionists in the 1940s and 50s, a group of artists who were interested in exploring the subconscious and expressing their emotions through abstract forms. The New York School was particularly influential in the post-World War II era, when many artists were grappling with the trauma and uncertainty of the time. Museums and galleries played a crucial role in promoting abstract expressionism, helping to establish it as a dominant force in the art world. However, despite her involvement in this influential artistic movement, Sterne's work often defied easy categorization. The meaning of art is never fixed or final. It is always contingent on the social and institutional context in which it is made and received. To better understand Sterne’s composition, scholars consult a variety of sources, including the artist’s own writings, as well as historical accounts of the New York art world.