Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist

Mar 13–Nov 1, 2020

Agnes Pelton (1881–1961) was a visionary symbolist who depicted the spiritual reality she experienced in moments of meditative stillness. Art for her was a discipline through which she gave form to her vision of a higher consciousness within the universe. Using an abstract vocabulary of curvilinear, biomorphic forms and delicate, shimmering veils of light, she portrayed her awareness of a world that lay behind physical appearances—a world of benevolent, disembodied energies animating and protecting life. For most of her career, Pelton chose to live away from the distractions of a major art center, first in Water Mill, Long Island, from 1921 to 1932, and subsequently in Cathedral City, a small community near Palm Springs, California. Her isolation from the mainstream art world meant that her paintings were relatively unknown during her lifetime and in the decades thereafter. This exhibition of approximately forty-five works introduces to the public a little-known artist whose luminous, abstract images of transcendence are only now being fully recognized.

Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist is organized by the Phoenix Art Museum, and curated by Gilbert Vicario, The Selig Family Chief Curator. The installation at the Whitney Museum is overseen by Barbara Haskell, curator, with Sarah Humphreville, senior curatorial assistant.

Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist is organized by Phoenix Art Museum.

In New York, major support is provided by Judy Hart Angelo and the Barbara Haskell American Fellows Legacy Fund.

Generous support is provided by Lynda and Stewart Resnick.

Significant support is provided by the Opatrny Family Foundation.

Additional support is provided by Georgia and Michael de Havenon and Sarah Pearsall and Michael Lippert.

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Agnes Pelton
2 works in the collection
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Room Decoration in Purple and Gray, 1917 by Agnes Pelton appears on a white wall in the Whitney next to text on the wall reading, "Agnes Pelton, Desert Transcendentalist."

Installation view of Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, March 13–November 1, 2020). Room Decoration in Purple and Gray, 1917. Photograph by Ron Amstutz

Room Decoration in Purple and Gray, 1917 by Agnes Pelton appears at the forefront of the photo, angled to the right to view into the exhibition. You can see white walls with other works further away.

Installation view of Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, March 13–November 1, 2020). From left to right: Room Decoration in Purple and Gray, 1917; Voyaging, 1931; Return, 1940; Ahmi in Egypt, 1931. Photograph by Ron Amstutz

Two white walls appear in the photo of Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist at the Whitney. From left to right the artwork that appears is, The Guide, 1929; Day, 1935; Messengers, 1932; Voyaging, 1931; Return, 1940; Ahmi in Egypt, 1931.

Installation view of Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, March 13–November 1, 2020). From left to right: The Guide, 1929; Day, 1935; Messengers, 1932; Voyaging, 1931; Return, 1940; Ahmi in Egypt, 1931. Photograph by Ron Amstutz

Return, 1940; and Ahmi in Egypt, 1931 by Agnes Pelton appear on a white wall at the Whitney Museum of American Art.

Installation view of Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, March 13–November 1, 2020). From left to right: Return, 1940; Ahmi in Egypt, 1931. Photograph by Ron Amstutz

A white wall appears to the right of an entry to a portion of the exhibition, Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist.

Installation view of Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, March 13–November 1, 2020). From left to right: Voyaging, 1931; Sea Change, 1931; Sand Storm, 1932; Return, 1940; Ahmi in Egypt, 1931. Photograph by Ron Amstutz

A white wall from the exhibition, Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist, at the Whitney appears with the following works from left to right: Birthday, 1943; Mount of Flame, 1932; Translation, 1931; The Guide, 1929; Day, 1935; Messengers, 1932.

Installation view of Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, March 13–November 1, 2020). From left to right: Birthday, 1943; Mount of Flame, 1932; Translation, 1931; The Guide, 1929; Day, 1935; Messengers, 1932. Photograph by Ron Amstutz

A white wall at the Whitney has three paintings surrounding a doorway to a blue room with more paintings from Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist at the Whitney.

Installation view of Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, March 13–November 1, 2020). From left to right: Resurgence, 1938; Birthday, 1943; Mount of Flame, 1932; Translation, 1931. Photograph by Ron Amstutz

Paintings appear on white walls at the Whitney from the exhibition, Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist. The paintings that appear rrom left to right are: Return, 1940; Ahmi in Egypt, 1931; Being, 1926; Ecstasy, 1928; Meadowlark’s Song, Winter, 1926; The Ray Serene, 1925.

White exhibition walls appear at the end of a room at the Whitney. The walls contain paintings from Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist, including First Spring Garland, 1926; Barna Dilae, 1935; Incarnation, 1929; Mount of Flame, 1932, and more.

Installation view of Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, March 13–November 1, 2020). From left to right: The Ray Serene, 1925; First Spring Garland, 1926; Barna Dilae, 1935; Incarnation, 1929; Mount of Flame, 1932; Translation, 1931; The Guide, 1929; Day, 1935; Messengers, 1932. Photograph by Ron Amstutz

White walls meet at a corner in the middle of the image. Paintings by Agnes Pelton appear on the walls, from left to right: The Fountains, 1926; Intimation, 1933; Lotus for Lida (Egyptian Dawn), 1930; Red and Blue, c. 1938; Star Gazer, 1929.

Installation view of Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, March 13–November 1, 2020). From left to right: The Fountains, 1926; Intimation, 1933; Lotus for Lida (Egyptian Dawn), 1930; Red and Blue, c. 1938; Star Gazer, 1929. Photograph by Ron Amstutz

Two paintings by Agnes Pelton are directly in view a few feet away on a white wall at the Whitney. The paintings from left to right are The Fountains, 1926 and Intimation, 1933.

Three paintings appear directly ahead on a white wall at the Whitney Museum of American Art. The paintings by Agnes Pelton, from left to right, are Lotus for Lida (Egyptian Dawn), 1930; Red and Blue, c. 1938; and Star Gazer, 1929.

Installation view of Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, March 13–November 1, 2020). From left to right: Lotus for Lida (Egyptian Dawn), 1930; Red and Blue, c. 1938; Star Gazer, 1929. Photograph by Ron Amstutz

Three paintings by Agnes Pelton on a white wall. From left to right: Voyaging, 1931; Sea Change, 1931; Sand Storm, 1932.

Looking into a blue room in the exhibition, Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist, paintings appear on the walls. From left to right: Orbits, 1934; The Primal Wing, 1933; Even Song, 1934; Interval, 1950; Mother of Silence, 1933.

Installation view of Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, March 13–November 1, 2020). From left to right: Orbits, 1934; The Primal Wing, 1933; Even Song, 1934; Interval, 1950; Mother of Silence, 1933. Photograph by Ron Amstutz

Looking into a blue room in the Whitney containing paintings by Agnes Pelton. From left to right: Light Center, 1947-48; Birthday, 1943; Alchemy, 1937-39; Fires in Space, 1938.

Installation view of Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, March 13–November 1, 2020). From left to right: Light Center, 1947-48; Birthday, 1943; Alchemy, 1937-39; Fires in Space, 1938. Photograph by Ron Amstutz

Looking from a blue room toward a white room to the left in the exhibition, Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist at the Whitney Museum of American Art. The work from left to right is Future, 1941; Light Center, 1947-48; and Birthday, 1943.

Installation view of Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, March 13–November 1, 2020). From left to right: Future, 1941; Light Center, 1947-48; Birthday, 1943. Photograph by Ron Amstutz

In a blue room at the Whitney, two paintings appear on walls to the right of a white room containing two other paintings. The work is by Agnes Pelton, from left to right: Alchemy, 1937-39; Fires in Space, 1938; Day, 1935; Messengers, 1932.

Installation view of Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, March 13–November 1, 2020). From left to right: Alchemy, 1937-39; Fires in Space, 1938; Day, 1935; Messengers, 1932. Photograph by Ron Amstutz

A white room appears further back to the left of a blue room. Two paintings are visible in each room in the exhibition, Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist. The work from left to right is: Being, 1926; Ecstasy, 1928; Orbits, 1934; and The Primal Wing, 1933.

Installation view of Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, March 13-November 1, 2020). From left to right: Being, 1926; Ecstasy, 1928; Orbits, 1934; The Primal Wing, 1933. Photograph by Ron Amstutz

There is an entryway between two blue walls with a painting on each side. Past the entryway is a white room with paintings against the back wall. Each painting is by Agnes Pelton at the Whitney. From left to right: Mother of Silence, 1933; Departure, 1952; Awakening (Memory of Father), 1943; Light Center, 1947-48.

Installation view of Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, March 13–November 1, 2020). From left to right: Mother of Silence, 1933; Departure, 1952; Awakening (Memory of Father), 1943; Light Center, 1947-48. Photograph by Ron Amstutz

Installation view of Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, March 13–November 1, 2020). From left to right: Fires in Space, 1938; The Fountains, 1926; Return, 1940; Orbits, 1934. Photograph by Ron Amstutz

Four Agnes Pelton paintings appear on a white wall at the Whitney Museum of American Art. From left to right the work is: Light Center, 1960-61; Departure, 1952; Awakening (Memory of Father), 1943; and Focus, 1951.

Installation view of Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, March 13–November 1, 2020). From left to right: Light Center, 1960-61; Departure, 1952; Awakening (Memory of Father), 1943; Focus, 1951. Photograph by Ron Amstutz

Two white walls appear at the forefront of the gallery, framed by two Agnes Pelton paintings, Memory, 1937 to the left and Ascent (Liberation), 1946 to the right.

Installation view of Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, March 13–November 1, 2020). From left to right: Memory, 1937; Return, 1940; Orbits, 1934; Ascent (Liberation), 1946. Photograph by Ron Amstutz

Paintings on a white wall at the Whitney, all by Agnes Pelton. From left to right: Awakening (Memory of Father), 1943; Focus, 1951; Future, 1941; The Blest, 1941; Memory, 1937.

Installation view of Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, March 13–November 1, 2020). From left to right: Awakening (Memory of Father), 1943; Focus, 1951; Future, 1941; The Blest, 1941; Memory, 1937. Photograph by Ron Amstutz

Two paintings by Agnes Pelton appear directly ahead on a white wall of the Whitney. From left to right: Future, 1941; The Blest, 1941.

Installation view of Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, March 13–November 1, 2020). From left to right: Future, 1941; The Blest, 1941. Photograph by Ron Amstutz

Paintings by Agnes Pelton fill a white room in the Whitney. From left to right the paintings are: Ascent (Liberation), 1946; Prelude, 1943; Challenge, 1940; Idyll, 1952; and Light Center, 1960-61.

Installation view of Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, March 13–November 1, 2020). From left to right: Ascent (Liberation), 1946; Prelude, 1943; Challenge, 1940; Idyll, 1952; Light Center, 1960-61. Photograph by Ron Amstutz

Paintings by Agnes Pelton appear in a white room at the Whitney. From left to right the paintings are: Light Center, 1960-61; Departure, 1952; Awakening (Memory of Father), 1943; Focus, 1951; Future, 1941; and The Blest, 1941.

Installation view of Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, March 13-November 1, 2020). From left to right: Light Center, 1960-61; Departure, 1952; Awakening (Memory of Father), 1943; Focus, 1951; Future, 1941; The Blest, 1941. Photograph by Ron Amstutz

The final room of the Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist exhibition at the Whitney wraps back around to the first wall on which the title appears alongside Room Decoration in Purple and Gray, 1917.

Installation view of Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, March 13–November 1, 2020). From left to right: Light Center, 1960-61; Departure, 1952; Room Decoration in Purple and Gray, 1917. Photograph by Ron Amstutz

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In the News

"The times have caught up to the color-drenched mysticism of the American painter Agnes Pelton" —The New Yorker

"There is nothing quite like Pelton’s paintings in 20th-century American art." —The New York Times

"A survey of the spiritual-abstractionist painter's oracular art brings an offbeat brand of enlightenment to New York." —artnet News

"Agnes Pelton Finally Gets Her Due" —Vogue

"Agnes Pelton was a visionary who used her art to connect to a higher plane of consciousness via quivering biological forms and soft beams of light." —Observer

"[A] little-known artist whose luminous, abstract images of transcendence are only now being fully recognized."—ArtfixDaily

"It was a beautiful show, full of inventive shapes levitating in tinted atmospheres with evening stars and spiraling lines"—New York Times

Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist

Artist

Agnes Pelton 2 works in the collection

Videos

Installation Photography

Explore works from this exhibition in the Whitney's collection

In the News

Agnes Pelton
2 works in the collection

Explore works from this exhibition
in the Whitney's collection