American Abstract Expressionism Perle Fine

Perle Fine (Poule Feine) (1905–1988) was an American Abstract Expressionist painter. Fine was most known by her combination of fluid and brushy rendering of the materials and her use of biomorphic forms encased and intertwined with irregular geometric shapes.“…he very image of the Abstract Expressionist painter was a white, heterosexual male, and that this movement, which perceived itself as a glyph of individual freedom, constricted the entry of women, African Americans, and homosexuals, regardless of the nature and quality of their work.” While Women have had a history of being left out of the arts, it was Samuel Kootz’s, a New York Gallery owner that helped determine what art was mainstream, pronouncement that there would be no women artists in his gallery. To this which Fine promptly said, “I know I was as good as anybody else in there,”  However, Perle Fine was not the only female artist that was affected by this statement, artists such as Fannie Hillsmith and Lee Krasner were also deeply affected.Despite Kootz’s statement, Fine had been in many solo and group shows during the late 1940’s. Because of her success with these exhibitions, there was every implication that Fine was on the verge of success in the art world. “As the 1950’s dawned… there was little competition among artists either male or female, it was only when the door began to crack open that the gender of the artist began to play a more prominent role.”  Deirdre Robson has said that “The arts were gradually thought of less in terms of being part of the ‘female’ realm and more as an interest suitable for a hardheaded and successful businessman.”Wikipedia