Long overshadowed in the story of Abstract Expressionism, women artists played a pivotal role in shaping the artistic movement. A new exhibition at the Muscarelle Museum of Art (Williamsburg, VA) spotlights these influential women, presenting nearly 50 paintings by 32 artists in “Abstract Expressionists: The Women,” opened January 23 and on view through April 26, 2026.
The exhibition underscores the critical contributions these artists made to the growth of Abstract Expressionism through works that span the movement’s formative years in the late 1930s, peak visibility in the postwar era and later evolution through 1977. By examining stylistic crosscurrents among artists working in New York, California and Paris, the exhibition situates these painters within a broader international dialogue that defined mid-century abstraction.
The paintings are drawn from the renowned Christian Levett Collection and the FAMM (Female Artists of the Mougins Museum), France, and organized by the American Federation of Arts (AFA).
“Abstract Expressionists: The Women” reframes the history of Abstract Expressionism by returning women artists to the center of the story. For decades, women were treated as exceptions or peripheral figures in the movement — or consigned to the role of muse. This exhibition challenges that history, presenting these painters as key figures whose bold, original work helped shape one of the 20th century’s most influential artistic movements.
“It’s an important moment of recognition that we get to be part of at the Muscarelle,” said David Brashear, the museum’s director. “For many years, the story of Abstract Expressionism has overlooked its women pioneers. ‘Abstract Expressionists: The Women’ offers a more complete understanding of the artistic movement, highlighting the contributions of the ambitious and visionary women artists who were creating work alongside their more celebrated male peers. We hope our visitors find inspiration in both the powerful artworks and the stories behind them.”
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Image caption: Elaine de Kooning, The Bull, 1959. Acrylic and collage on Masonite, 30 ½ x 35 /4 in. © Elaine de Kooning Trust. Courtesy of the Levett Collection and FAMM. Photo: Fraser Marr.