Gamma 1960

Morris Louis made this acrylic on canvas painting called 'Gamma' at some point in the late 1950s or early 60s. It's part of his 'Unfurleds' series, and they represent a significant break from the conventions of the art world at the time. Louis was working in the United States at the height of the Cold War, and the art world was dominated by abstract expressionism. This was seen by some as a distinctly American art form, full of individualistic expression. But Louis and others were looking for a new direction, something less theatrical. In 'Gamma', you see rivulets of color cascading down a white canvas, staining the material as they go. There is no obvious brushwork. This approach challenged the art establishment's emphasis on the artist's touch, on visible labor as evidence of authenticity. By pouring the paint, Louis distanced himself from the act of creation, raising questions about artistic intention and control. To understand Louis’s radical departure from the status quo, we can look at period art magazines and critical essays, gallery statements, and the artist's own recorded statements. All help to give a sense of the cultural politics around the aesthetic innovations of the time.