Phi 1961

Morris Louis created 'Phi' using acrylic on canvas, a technique he pioneered in the late 1950s and early 60s. This was a period of significant social and cultural change in the United States, reflected in the art world through movements like Abstract Expressionism and Color Field painting. Louis was part of the latter, emphasizing color and form, stripping away narrative content. He poured diluted acrylic onto the canvas, allowing the paint to stain the fabric. What you see here are translucent veils of color, seemingly floating on the surface, each interacting with the others. This approach challenged the traditional idea of painting as an act of applying pigment to a surface and can be considered a critique of the art institutions that upheld those traditional values. To understand Louis, we must consider the broader context of American art institutions and movements of the time. Careful archival research into exhibition histories, critical responses, and artists’ statements will illuminate the social forces that shaped Louis’s artistic production.