Joan Mitchell: Painting the Energy of Landscape

City Landscape (1955) - Oil on linen, 80 × 80 in.

The Poet of Abstract Landscapes

Joan Mitchell (1925-1992) transformed the raw energy of urban and natural landscapes into vibrant abstract compositions. Unlike her Abstract Expressionist contemporaries who focused on personal expression, Mitchell declared her work was "about landscape, not about me."

Born in Chicago, Mitchell's artistic journey began at the School of the Art Institute, where she studied before moving to New York in the 1950s. Her work evolved from figurative painting to the bold abstractions that would define her career.

City Landscape: Urban Energy Made Visible

Created in 1955, City Landscape exemplifies Mitchell's unique approach. The painting's tangle of purple, pink, orange and green suggests the pulsing rhythms of a metropolis. Mitchell worked deliberately, often spending hours contemplating before applying paint:

"I paint a little. Then I sit and look at the painting, sometimes for hours. Eventually, the painting tells me what to do."

Between Paris and Vétheuil

In 1959, Mitchell moved to France, eventually settling in Vétheuil - a village once home to Monet. Her work deepened as she engaged with the French landscape and artistic community. The expansive views of the Seine valley influenced her later multi-panel compositions.

A Lasting Legacy

Mitchell's work continues to influence contemporary artists. Her ability to capture the essence of place through abstraction remains unmatched. As she once said of her process:

"It's not the painting that's important. It's what the painting does to you when you look at it."

Today, Mitchell's works are held in major collections worldwide, with City Landscape remaining a highlight of the Art Institute's contemporary holdings.