Joan Thorne (b. 1943), United States, Ega, 1979, oil on canvas, Gift of Ronnie and John Shore, 2018.215, © Joan Thorne
Sam Gilliam (b. 1933), United States, Tequila, 1979, acrylic and mixed media on canvas, Gift of Ronnie and John Shore, 2018.194, © 2019 Sam Gilliam / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Nancy Graves (1939–1995), United States, Strobia, 1978, oil and encaustic on canvas, Gift of Ronnie and John Shore, 2018.195, © 2019 Nancy Graves Foundation / Licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY
Elizabeth Murray (1940–2007), United States, Flesh, Earth and Sky, 1979, Gift of Ronnie and John Shore, 2018.196, © 2019 The Murray-Holman Family Trust / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Lois Lane (b. 1948), United States, Untitled, 1979, oil on canvas, Gift of Ronnie and John Shore, 2018.213
Free admission. Press Release
Reconstituting the landmark exhibition American Painting: The Eighties from New York University’s Grey Art Gallery exhibition in 1979, American Painting: The Eighties Revisited captures a pivotal moment in twentieth century art. It features abstract paintings by artists, including Sam Gilliam, Nancy Graves, and Elizabeth Murray, all of whom were new to the New York art scene at the time. American Painting: The Eighties toured to Houston, Texas, then to 13 cities abroad, from Paris to Tel Aviv.
Along the way, a lively argument ensued about the direction that art was headed: would the best paintings reflect back on the Abstract Expressionism of the 1950s, or would they launch from the subsequent Pop Art or Minimalist movements?
All 41 artists featured in the original exhibition are shown here, including 35 paintings shown at the Grey Art Gallery. This collection has been acquired by the Cincinnati Art Museum through the generosity of Ronnie and John Shore.
Organized by the Cincinnati Art Museum, Guest Curator Kate Bonansinga
Explore American Painting: The Eighties Revisited from your device with this immersive digital tour. Featuring narration by guest curator Kate Bonansinga (Director of the School of Art, College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning at the University of Cincinnati), this virtual walkthrough gives visitors a deeper experience with this groundbreaking exhibition.
Watch this online conversation with Joan Thorne, one of the artists featured in American Painting: The Eighties Revisited that took place on August 25, 2021. Joan shares images of her body of work while talking about her life and artistic process with guest curator Kate Bonansinga.
The Cincinnati Art Museum is supported by the generosity of tens of thousands of contributors to the ArtsWave Community Campaign, the region's primary source for arts funding.
Free general admission to the Cincinnati Art Museum is made possible by a gift from the Rosenthal Family Foundation. Exhibition pricing may vary. Parking at the Cincinnati Art Museum is free.
Generous support for our extended Thursday hours is provided by Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All program.
General operating support provided by: