Interestingly enough, the exhibition of de Kooning’s work in the Museum of Modern Art is the first exhibition devoted to such a full variation of his work.  As a result, the most important idea to take away from the exhibit, aside from the meaningful intricacy of his work, is the development of his work over almost seven decades.  The exhibit does an excellent job of portraying de Kooning’s development as an artist; when you first walk into the exhibit you can see his first works that he completed in his teens, and the rooms will lead you through a large scope of the works of his life chronologically.

The beginning of de Kooning’s journey as an artist includes three still lives, one of which is to the right.  The pieces show variations of pots, cups, and bowls in a very detailed, realistic manner.  They are simple, but they show de Kooning’s capabilities as a drawer quite evidently.  He can undoubtedly create values and place shadows correctly.

Continuing to walk through the exhibition, you will find pieces like Woman I (1950) which is way more abstract than the still life pieces.  He worked particularly long on this piece and repainted it many times until he finally settled for the image of a woman (image to the left).  While his still life was simple, Woman I created some controversy.  In a PBS interview remembering de Kooning, the controversy over paintings like Woman I was explained: “To conservative critics it was considered ugly; that he had so brutalized the human figure, particularly the female form. And to the more progressive and avant garde critics it seemed to be a repudiation of all he had fought for in terms of avant garde painting and the repudiation of his role as an abstract painter” (Online NewsHour: In Remembrance). But perhaps the fact that his pieces are left up for debate is the reason for their beauty.

Later, de Kooning began to paint pieces like Untitled XXII (1983).  This piece (to the right) is much simpler, but it seems to have lines that are much more well thought out.  Right in the center one might see a face with closed eyes (one red, one blue), a nose, and teeth below it.  It is much more relaxed than his earlier pieces like Woman I. 

Overall, de Koonings pieces are an excellent example in the argument of what can be considered art.  One might look at Untitled XXII and say that anyone could do that; one might say that de Kooning really doesn’t show any talent.  His still life paintings, however, prove that he has an extraordinary capability and talent.  His development shows his growth in ability to express something more than just values and shadows.

To see a little more about his progression as an artist click here.