To define a feeling: Joan Mitchell 1960-1965

Exhibition at the David Zwirner Gallery, New York, 6 November – 13 December 2025

After settling permanently in France in 1959, the American painter Joan Mitchell (1925–1992) embarked on a period of radical experimentation that marked a dramatic departure from her earlier work, replacing structured compositional schemes with wilder, more evocative forms. She began spending long periods living on a sailing boat along the Côte d’Azur, immersing herself in the effects of the shifting light, the water and the rugged Mediterranean coastline. On her return to her Paris studio, these experiences gave rise to bold and melancholic canvases that engaged with the landscape in a more direct and visible way than she had ever done before.

This catalogue of the exhibition dedicated to Joan Mitchell’s paintings from 1960 to 1965 highlights a pivotal chapter in the career of this internationally renowned artist. It analyses how these works shaped the evolution of her approach to structure and colour, whilst exploring the recurring themes that define her oeuvre.