Exhibition Tour: Ellsworth Kelly Sketchbooks | MoMA

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Join MoMA curator Samantha Friedman on a fascinating tour of the installation "Ellsworth Kelly's Sketchbooks" at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. This year-long exhibition celebrates the centennial of the birth of renowned artist Ellsworth Kelly and showcases his extraordinary sketchbooks, which were largely kept private during his lifetime. Kelly's art is characterized by its economic lines, reduced geometries, and uninterrupted planes of color, which create a striking simplicity that belies the effort and experimentation behind each piece. In this installation, you will have the opportunity to explore 25 of Kelly's sketchbooks, generously gifted to MoMA by Jack Shear. These sketchbooks offer a unique glimpse into the artist's creative process and reveal the real-world references that often inspired his seemingly non-objective compositions. Accompanying the sketchbooks are related drawings and paintings, providing a comprehensive view of Kelly's artistic journey. Throughout his career, Kelly explored various artistic techniques, from automatic drawings that allowed his pencil to flow freely, to multicolor grids that harnessed the possibilities of chance, and collages of flat color that transformed passing impressions into an art of ideals. This exhibition highlights the breadth and depth of Kelly's artistic vision. Organized by The Drawing Foundation in association with Master Drawings, this event is a must-see for art enthusiasts and admirers of Ellsworth Kelly's work. Registration for this free event opens on January 4th, 2024, at 12 pm Eastern. Don't miss this opportunity to delve into the fascinating world of Ellsworth Kelly's Sketchbooks. Image: Ellsworth Kelly (1923-2015), Sketchbook #26, New York City. 1954–56. Page from a spiral-bound notebook with pencil, ink, colored ink, and ballpoint pen on paper, 14 1/8 × 10 7/8 × 1/2" (35.9 × 27.6 × 1.3 cm). Gift of Jack Shear, 2020. © Ellsworth Kelly Foundation.