How the Ninth Street Women Liberated Art History

In a 1951 Greenwich Village avant-garde art exhibit, five formidable artists emerged: Lee Krasner, Grace Hartigan, Elaine de Kooning, Joan Mitchell, and Helen Frankenthaler. In her book Ninth Street Women, Mary Gabriel tells their remarkable stories with electrifying truth, candor, and a fresh perspective. Individually and collectively they helped define the Abstract Expressionist movement and challenged societal norms with a new doctrine of liberation. We will examine their art, engage with their stories, and learn how their experiences inspired future generations of women artists. As such, these five women revolutionized the modern art world in postwar America. The legacy of the Ninth Street Women reminds us that art is more than just aesthetics. It is about breaking barriers and creating new paths for others to follow.