Untitled (No 8) 1932

John Ferren made this 'Untitled' painting with oil on canvas sometime in the mid-20th century. Looking at it now, we can see that it exists in the stylistic realm of Abstract Expressionism, a movement whose rise was tied to the social and political climate of post-war America. Ferren's approach, though, seems distinct. Instead of the heroic individualism and gestural abstraction that defined the New York School, Ferren's work leans toward a more structured, almost Cubist dissection of form. It subtly critiques the idea of the artist as a singular, expressive genius. To truly understand Ferren's place, we'd need to delve into exhibition histories, critical reviews, and the networks of artists and galleries that shaped the art world in the middle of the twentieth century. It serves as a reminder that art doesn't exist in a vacuum, but is intertwined with broader cultural and institutional forces.