Women of the New York School
While a number of studies (most recently Lytle Shaw's Frank O'Hara: The Poetics of Coterie) have examined the role of affiliation and friendship in the production of 1950s and 1960s art and poetry (later identified under the rubric of the New York School), the focus has generally been primarily on relationships between men. This project examines the role and significance of women writers and artists within the 'first generation' New York School and includes figures like Helen Frankenthaler, Grace Hartigan, Mary Abbott, Nell Blaine, Barbara Guest, Denise Levertov, and May Tabak. It contextualises developments in their individual careers in light of their relationships. It further investigates a gendering of aesthetics, including women artists and writers' engagement with the 'heroic' approach of the Abstract Expressionists, their venturing in the figurative or otherwise, and the kinds of innovation made within particular modes, themes, and genres. The project further investigates the reception of women artists and poets, both by critics and fellow artists and writers. It makes use of fresh material from various archival holdings and interviews of key figures within the New York School.