Fleur

“I find myself really drawn to works of art that have a strong social message, that agitate, that protest. Sweet little “Fleur” by Beth Van Hoesen certainly doesn’t look defiant, but Van Hoesen began her career during an era when Abstract Expressionism, a movement that featured primarily male artists presenting hyper-masculinized public images, reigned supreme among American art critics and popular culture. Not only would Van Hoesen have struggled to gain notoriety as a female artist during a time defined by pervasively-strict gender roles (1940s-1960s), but her choice of media, style, and subject matter communicated a stark rejection of the more fashionable male-dominated Abstract Expressionist Movement.”

-Kristy Griffin, Assistant Director,