Joan Mitchell: Uncovering 100 Years

The impact of American artist Joan Mitchell (1925–1992) on the art world continues to resonate over 30 years after her death. Today, Mitchell is recognized as a leading painter of the Abstract Expressionist movement, both for her prolific output as well as her success as a woman within the male-dominated art world of the time. To celebrate the centennial of Mitchell's birth, The Fralin is exhibiting five works by Mitchell from the permanent collection, joining 70 museums in the U.S.A., Europe, and Australia presenting exhibitions of her work this year, including the Art Institute of Chicago, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Smithsonian's Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, DC (the Hirshhorn), and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

In 2023, Scott W. Nolley, Head Conservator at the Hirshhorn, painstakingly restored two paintings by Mitchell in The Fralin's collection. Nolley worked on view in the galleries on Untitled (1953), oil on canvas, offering students, faculty, and visitors a rare chance to witness a process of art restoration typically conducted behind closed doors. The exhibition also features a video showcasing conservation techniques.

The exhibition is curated by M. Jordan Love (she/her), Carol R. Angle Academic Curator, The Fralin Museum of Art and Scott W. Nolley, Head Conservator at the Smithsonian's Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. This exhibition was underwritten by the Angle Exhibition Fund and is part of the Joan Mitchell Foundation's Centennial Celebration of the trailblazing artist.