Revelation: Major Paintings by Jules Olitski February 12–May 6, 2012

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Widely regarded as one of America’s last classic modern painters, Jules Olitski (1922–2007) created brilliant color harmonies and chromatic shifts that became one of the hallmarks of Color Field painting. Olitski enjoyed enormous acclaim in the 1960s and 1970s, and in 1969 he was the first living American artist to be given a solo exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

Revelation: Major Paintings by Jules Olitski draws together more than 30 monumental canvases from public and private collections. The exhibition examines five decades of creative endeavor, ranging from the artist’s first essays into stain painting beginning in 1959 to his visionary last compositions in 2007. This glorious presentation highlights the series that define Olitski’s major advances: Stain paintings, Spray paintings, Baroque paintings, High Baroque paintings, and the last great series, titled "With Love and Disregard." For a rare look at the artist at work in his studio, click here to view a video about Olitski.

Revelation opens at the MFAH following its 2011 premiere at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in Kansas City, Missouri. The illustrated exhibition catalogue, which includes text by the artist, is available at The MFAH Shop.