Leo Martínez
Dore Ashton, the writer, professor, and critic on modern and contemporary art, was one of the foremost proponents of Abstract Expressionism. She was closely involved with the artists of the New York School, including Mark Rothko and Jackson Pollock, and her writings on art reached international audiences. She authored over thirty books on art and culture, including 'The New York School: A Cultural Reckoning' and 'Abstract Art before Columbus'. Ashton's writings were unique in that she delved into the psychology of her subjects, a technique frowned upon by other art historians. She was fired from the New York Times in 1960 due to her favourable stance towards Abstract Expressionism, which clashed with the views of the senior art critic, John Canaday.
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What You'll Learn
Dore Ashton's criticism of Abstract Expressionism
Dore Ashton was an art critic and historian who wrote some of the earliest and most insightful pieces on Abstract Expressionism and the leading painters of the New York School. She was closely involved with the artists discovering a new pictorial language in the years after World War II, both as a friend and as a reviewer for numerous publications. She was one of the last living critics to have socialised with the Abstract Expressionists, and her writing is unified by her desire to make clear that American artists producing work in the 1940s and '50s were creating art that existed beyond and independent of any conditioning contexts.
Ashton's approach was always mindful of the dialectical feelings that the Abstract Expressionists had adopted in their art and rhetoric. She once wrote, "Rhetoric, verbal or visual, was suspect; for where there is none, there is no school, and if there is no school, there are no limits." She understood the uniqueness of Abstract Expressionism, a movement comprised of artists who possessed no definitive ideology or approach to creating art. She viewed Jackson Pollock as the one who "broke the ice" for everyone else in Abstract Expressionism, observing that before Pollock rose to prominence in 1949, the New York School of artists was mostly a group of "loft rat" European emigres.
Ashton's book, 'The New York School: A Cultural Reckoning' (1973), made the case for Abstract Expressionism as the pre-eminent postwar art movement and placed its disparate members into a coherent philosophical framework. It discusses in great detail the aesthetic, political and philosophical evolution, from Europe to New York City, that led to what we know as Abstract Expressionism in the early 20th century. It also explores the ethical, philosophical, and political stances of the Abstract Expressionists in overcoming the tragedies of recent history, such as the victory of fascism in Spain in 1939.
Ashton's criticism of Abstract Expressionism was not without its challenges. She was fired from the New York Times in 1960 for her continually favourable stance toward the movement. She also faced the challenge of artists shifting to abstraction, which was fraught with expectations and anxieties. Despite this, Ashton's writings gave a calming and relatable tone to a movement that had no singular perspective on art and its artists.
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Ashton's relationship with Abstract Expressionists
Dore Ashton was an art historian, critic, and writer who played a significant role in the world of Abstract Expressionism. She was closely involved with the artists of the New York School, including Philip Guston, Mark Rothko, and others, both as a friend and a reviewer for publications like Art International, The Art Bulletin, and The New York Times. Ashton's writing and criticism gave a relatable tone to the Abstract Expressionist movement, which lacked a singular perspective. She valued individual artistic achievements over any particular movement or trend.
Ashton's approach to art criticism was shaped by her understanding of the Abstract Expressionists' dialectical feelings and rhetoric. She recognised that the movement's artists possessed no definitive ideology or approach to creating art. Her writings on Abstract Expressionism aimed to capture the philosophical, ethical, and political stances of the artists in response to historical tragedies, such as the victory of fascism in Spain in 1939 and World War II. Ashton's ability to apply anecdotal touches to her criticism and histories came from her firsthand experience socialising with the Abstract Expressionists. She frequented artists' studios, joined them in their favourite drinking spots, and discussed philosophy and aesthetics late into the night.
Ashton's book, 'The New York School: A Cultural Reckoning' (1973), is considered a classic in the literature on Abstract Expressionism. In it, she explores the movement's emergence from the sobering context of historical tragedies and the sense of gravitas they evoked. Ashton's work delved into the psychology of her subjects, a technique that was not universally accepted by her contemporaries, who believed that the art should speak for itself.
Ashton's criticism and writing extended beyond the New York School to include international artists and publications. Her writings reached international audiences, appearing in German, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and English publications. She wrote extensively about individual artists, including Joseph Cornell, Mark Rothko, and Philip Guston, producing biographies, albums, and essays that contributed to the understanding and appreciation of Abstract Expressionism.
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Ashton's thoughts on the shift to abstraction
Dore Ashton, the art critic and historian who wrote some of the earliest and most insightful histories of Abstract Expressionism, recognised the shift to abstraction as a challenging and anxiety-inducing period for artists. She observed that artists during this time were keen to maintain their outsider status and did not want to be co-opted by capitalist America.
Ashton's writings on the Abstract Expressionist movement reflected the complexities and anxieties of the time. She recognised that the shift to abstraction was not an easy one for artists, and her work often focused on the individual achievements of artists rather than the movement as a whole. She valued the artists' sense of spiritual independence and their rejection of formal academic structures.
Ashton's book "The New York School" provides valuable insights into the liberation of artists during the 1930s and 1940s, a tumultuous time characterised by self-doubt and financial struggles. She challenged the prevailing Freudian theory of the time, arguing that the abstract art of the period was not simply a collection of interpretable symbols. Instead, she recognised the influence of Existentialism and the work of Sartre and Heidegger on the Abstract Expressionist movement.
Ashton's unique perspective as an insider and outsider to the movement allowed her to offer a comprehensive and eyewitness account of Abstract Expressionism. She was closely involved with artists like Philip Guston, Mark Rothko, and others, documenting their experiences and conversations. She also recognised the influence of interactions between artists and their exposure to diverse cultural influences, such as African sculpture.
Ashton's writings humanised the artists and highlighted their sense of isolation and alienation, even at the height of their critical fame. She respected their desire for spiritual independence and their rejection of theoretical approaches. While she herself decried the label of "Abstract Expressionism", she recognised the uniqueness of the movement and the absence of a singular perspective or definitive ideology.
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Ashton's writings on Abstract Expressionism
Dore Ashton was an art critic and historian who wrote some of the earliest and most insightful pieces on Abstract Expressionism and the leading painters of the New York School. She was closely involved with the artists she wrote about, including Philip Guston, Mark Rothko, and others, drinking with them at their favourite spots and talking philosophy and aesthetics late into the night. Ashton's writing strove to understand the philosophies and theories of the New York School. She once wrote,
> Rhetoric, verbal or visual, was suspect; for where there is none, there is no school, and if there is no school, there are no limits.
Ashton's writings gave a calming and relatable tone to a movement that had no singular perspective on art. She understood the uniqueness of Abstract Expressionism, a movement comprised of artists who possessed no definitive ideology or approach to creating art. She was one of the last living critics to have socialised with the Abstract Expressionists, and her writing covers a rich history of the mid-century movement, combined with first-hand knowledge of interactions with those who propelled Abstract Expressionism to wide acclaim.
Ashton's approach was always mindful of the dialectical feelings that the Abstract Expressionists had adopted in their art and rhetoric. She valued the individual achievements of the artist far more than any artistic movement or trend, and her desire was to make clear that American artists producing work in the 1940s and '50s were creating art that existed beyond and independent of any conditioning contexts.
Ashton was fired from the New York Times in 1960 for her continually favourable stance towards Abstract Expressionism. Her book, 'The New York School: A Cultural Reckoning' (1971 or 1973), is an unsurpassed look at the ethical, philosophical, and political stances of the Abstract Expressionists to overcome the tragedies of recent history, such as the victory of fascism in Spain in 1939.
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Ashton's influence on the New York School
Dore Ashton was an art historian, critic, and writer who played a significant role in documenting and shaping the narrative of the New York School, an artistic movement that emerged in the post-World War II era. She authored "The New York School: A Cultural Reckoning" (1971), which is considered a classic appraisal of the movement. Here is a detailed look at her influence on our understanding of the New York School:
Comprehensive Documentation:
Ashton's writings on the New York School are known for their comprehensive and eyewitness account of the movement. She captured the vitality of the cultural milieu in which the artists worked, socialised, and critiqued each other's work. Her book, "The New York School: A Cultural Reckoning", traces the movement's evolution from its early beginnings to its recognition in the 1950s.
Rich Cultural and Intellectual History:
Ashton provided a rich cultural and intellectual history of the New York School by drawing from a variety of sources, including unsifted archives, contemporary newspapers, books, and her own conversations with the participants of the movement. She placed the artistic developments within the broader context of literature and politics of the 1930s and 1940s, offering a nuanced understanding of the influences and concerns of artists such as Willem de Kooning, Jackson Pollock, and Philip Guston, among others.
Humanising Artists:
Ashton's approach to art criticism and history was unique in that she delved into the psychology of the artists, a technique that was not commonly used by her contemporaries. She emphasised the individual achievements of artists and humanised them by exploring their sense of isolation and alienation. This allowed her readers to empathise with the artists and understand their motivations and influences.
Friendships with Artists:
Ashton was closely involved with the artists of the New York School, including Philip Guston, Mark Rothko, and others. She frequented their studios, socialised with them, and discussed philosophy and aesthetics. This insider perspective allowed her to offer intimate insights into the lives and works of these artists, contributing to a more holistic understanding of the movement.
Challenging Perceptions:
Ashton challenged the traditional art historical narrative by valuing the individual achievements of artists over any artistic movement or trend. She recognised the agency of artists within the New York School, who actively rejected the formal academy and the assumptions of non-artist art historians. Her stance towards Abstract Expressionism, including her refusal to label the artists of the New York School as merely "Abstract Expressionists", demonstrates her commitment to representing the artists' perspectives.
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Frequently asked questions
Dore Ashton did not coin a label for abstract painting. In fact, she rejected the label Abstract Expressionism.
Dore Ashton was a proponent of Abstract Expressionism and was one of the last living critics to have socialized with the Abstract Expressionists. She was closely involved with the small world of artists discovering a new pictorial language in the years after World War II, both as a friend and as a reviewer for numerous publications.
Dore Ashton was one of the most energetic, widely published, and politicized American writers on art. She authored or edited thirty books on art and culture and contributed to many publications, including Art Digest and The New York Times, where she worked as an art critic. She was also one of the first art critics to develop a comprehensive and eyewitness account history of Abstract Expressionism.
