The Transformative Art of Willem de Kooning

Willem de Kooning (1904-1997) is regarded as one of the most influential figures in abstract expressionism. His career exemplifies a continual drive for renewal and exploration, and he is often hailed as one of the most versatile and complex artists of the twentieth century. Born in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, de Kooning’s artistic roots lay in craftsmanship. Following his studies at the Rotterdam Academy of Fine Arts and Technical Sciences, where he primarily focused on decorative painting and drawing, he emigrated to the United States in 1926, settling in New York. It was there that his work developed in a way that would profoundly influence the modern art world.

Source: Galeria de Babel

Influences and Techniques

De Kooning underwent a profound transformation when he immersed himself in New York’s vibrant art community and the burgeoning abstract expressionist movement. Meeting other artists, particularly Arshile Gorky, greatly influenced his early work. De Kooning and Gorky formed a close friendship, and through this interaction, de Kooning found a balance between abstraction and figuration. He extensively experimented with texture and materials, and his early work is characterized by a blend of recognizable forms and abstract structures.

Pink Angels (circa 1945) Pink Angels marks a turning point in de Kooning’s work, illustrating how he shaped abstraction through organic, almost human forms. In this piece, he experimented with thin and thick layers of paint, using tools such as scrapers to add texture to the paint. The blurred contours and expressive brushstrokes give the work a surreal quality, marking one of his initial steps towards full abstraction.

Excavation (1950) With Excavation, de Kooning reached a pinnacle in his exploration of abstract forms and structures. This painting, with its intricate pattern of lines and figures, evokes a fragmented landscape or mosaic. De Kooning used both palette knives and brushes in Excavation, working by constantly applying and removing paint to build a deeply layered texture. This technique endowed the piece with unmistakable depth and intensity, establishing his reputation as a master in blending colour and form.

The Women Series: A Confrontation with Femininity and Inner Struggle

De Kooning’s most renowned and controversial works are arguably his paintings of female figures, particularly the series he began in the early 1950s. This “Women” series gained both fame and notoriety, especially for the bold and sometimes distorted depiction of the female body. De Kooning worked for years on these pieces, repeatedly applying, removing, and reapplying layers of paint. He referred to these works as "a part of myself," describing the struggle and complexity they reflected.

Woman I (1950-1952) Woman I is perhaps the most iconic work in this series and a pivotal piece in de Kooning’s oeuvre. He devoted nearly two years to this painting, applying layer upon layer of paint and then scraping it off to achieve the perfect balance between abstraction and figuration. The aggressive, almost violent brushstrokes and vivid colours gave the work a striking, raw expression. This painting is viewed as both an homage to and a critique of femininity, sparking a controversial discussion in the art world. It embodies de Kooning’s continuous quest to capture the invisible and his desire to convey the complexity of human emotions.

Woman I (1950 - 1952) by Willem de Kooning

Gotham News (1955) This piece is often seen as a symbol of New York and the city’s dynamic energy. In Gotham News, de Kooning’s free and spontaneous style is strongly evident: the vibrant, energetic colours and dynamic lines lend the painting a liveliness that mirrors the intensity of urban life. De Kooning was greatly influenced by the city and his connections within the New York School art community, and this painting perfectly captures the spirit of the time and place.

Transition to Peace and Light: The Final Years

During the 1960s and 70s, de Kooning experienced a notable shift in style and theme. After years of intense productivity and busy exhibitions in New York, he decided to withdraw from the city’s hectic life, moving to East Hampton, Long Island. This change of setting, away from the urban energy that characterized his earlier work, triggered a transformation in his art. Surrounded by nature and the tranquility of the countryside, de Kooning began to focus on a quieter, more meditative process that was reflected in his paintings.

The East Hampton environment significantly influenced his approach to colours, forms, and textures. The works from this period, such as Door to the River (1960), display a lighter and more subdued palette. While his earlier paintings were marked by bold, forceful brushstrokes and contrasts, a more relaxed, flowing style now emerged. Door to the River reflects the impact of the natural landscape on his work: the soft, almost undulating lines and the calm, pastel-like colours evoke the sense of water and the gentle movement of a river. This painting symbolically marks a doorway to a new phase in his career, one in which simplicity and harmony were central.

In the 1970s and 80s, de Kooning’s work increasingly focused on the process itself, experimenting with new forms of abstraction. He moved away from layered, dense compositions, opting instead for a minimalist approach, using thin, ethereal layers of paint and leaving large, empty spaces on the canvas. These open spaces highlighted the simplicity and calm rhythm he sought to capture. Paintings such as Untitled XXI (1977) and other untitled works from this period feature broad, flowing lines in subtle, light colours like blue, pink, and white. In these pieces, de Kooning primarily used soft pastels and light brushstrokes, reflecting his desire for serenity and simplicity.

Art historians note that this period brought a certain “introspective clarity” to de Kooning’s work. He himself described his approach as “a return to the basics of painting,” where creating a painting felt like following a rhythm or flow, free from the need for constant corrections and reworkings that had characterized his earlier work. His techniques also changed: instead of continually scraping away and reapplying paint, he now adopted a more direct approach, which gave his work an unmistakable sense of simplicity and freedom.

The influence of this “late style” is often attributed to a combination of factors. On the one hand, he found peace and inspiration in the natural surroundings of East Hampton. On the other, he also began to suffer from physical and mental decline, eventually being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in the 1980s. Nevertheless, de Kooning continued to paint, and many critics and friends observed that these late works radiated a striking purity and innocence. Some even see his later work as a “return to a nearly childlike freedom,” where the act of painting was divorced from technical perfection, focusing solely on capturing an emotional or visual moment.

Art historian John Elderfield described these late works as “almost ethereal in their simplicity and beauty.” He emphasized that, despite his physical and mental decline, de Kooning’s work retained a depth and authenticity that continued to reveal the creative genius of the artist. According to Elderfield, these late works reflected de Kooning’s “long and introspective journey” as an artist, in which he ultimately found the peace he had perhaps always sought.

In his final years, de Kooning’s work was characterized by a poetic simplicity that had not previously been visible in his oeuvre. He painted with a lightness and openness, as if he were bidding farewell to the complex structures and expressive struggles of his earlier career. It is this serene simplicity that makes his late work so distinctive and grants it an essential place in his artistic legacy. For many art lovers and critics, de Kooning’s late work symbolizes a profound conclusion to an extraordinary career, distilling a life of struggles and creative discovery into works of almost mystical simplicity and beauty.

The legacy of this later period also offers contemporary artists an important lesson: it reminds them that creative growth is a lifelong quest, and that simplicity and complexity can complement each other, even in the final chapters of a career.

Further Reading

For those who wish to delve deeper into the subtleties and nuances of de Kooning’s work, there is a wealth of literature available. Below are some key publications:

• Elderfield, J. Willem de Kooning: A Retrospective. Museum of Modern Art, New York: An in-depth analysis of his work and stylistic development, focusing on his major paintings and the context of his time.

• Stevens, M., & Swan, A. De Kooning: An American Master. Knopf Doubleday Publishing: This biography offers a detailed overview of de Kooning’s life and work, with attention to his personal and artistic struggles.

• Hess, T. B. De Kooning: Recent Paintings. Walker and Company: This work focuses on the later period of de Kooning’s career, with an emphasis on his evolution towards simplicity and tranquility.

• Anfam, D. Abstract Expressionism. Thames & Hudson: A broader study of abstract expressionism with a section on de Kooning, placing him within the context of the movement and his contemporaries.

• Gaugh, H. B. De Kooning's Women. Whitney Museum of American Art: A detailed analysis of his controversial Women series, with attention to its cultural impact and the artistic methods he employed.