Forrest Bess

Drawings
1957

A panoramic abstract painting featuring five distinct panels, each with a unique symbol-like figure against a solid background. From left to right: a squiggly line resembling an ear on a yellow ochre field; a white bone-like shape on black; an orange vertical form with horizontal lines on black; a black silhouette of a figure on red; and a grey lattice structure on black. The painting has a primitive, totemic quality with a stark contrast in colors.

A panoramic abstract painting featuring five distinct panels, each with a unique symbol-like figure against a solid background. From left to right: a squiggly line resembling an ear on a yellow ochre field; a white bone-like shape on black; an orange vertical form with horizontal lines on black; a black silhouette of a figure on red; and a grey lattice structure on black. The painting has a primitive, totemic quality with a stark contrast in colors.

Not on view

Date
1957

Classification
Paintings

Medium
Oil on linen, with wood frame

Dimensions
Overall: 9 × 29 3/4 × 1 5/16in. (22.9 × 75.6 × 3.3 cm)

Accession number
82.6a-b

Credit line
Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; gift of Betty Parsons

Rights and reproductions
© artist or artist’s estate

API
artworks/1902

Exhibitions

Signs & Symbols

June 28–Oct 28, 2012

Forrest Bess
2 works in the collection

View artist