A Retrospective : Perle Fine

Represented by the gallery, this will be Fine’s second exhibition with Gazelli Art House – and will encompass a range of historic works starting from the early 1940s to the late 1970s. The first show in the gallery that exhibited Fine’s work and introduced the artist to new audiences was the 9th St. Club group show in 2020, which showcased works by the iconic ‘Ninth Street Women’ – including Fine, Elaine de Kooning and Lee Krasner among others. Standing amongst her peers of the time, such as Helen Frankenthaler and Joan Mitchell, Fine made a name for herself in America’s emerging 1950s Abstract Art movement.

The varied body of works within the show will be A Timelessness #8 (1977), from the artist’s acclaimed Accordment series – a characterful acrylic and oil on linen work that depicts a subtle checked pattern against a soft mustard background. The show will also provide a rare chance to see Fine’s results from the 1950s and 60s. Covering the length of her whole career, the earliest of the works on display originates from 1945 (Study for Komposition), and Fine’s ability to work with mixed media will also be on show - such as a 1946 work which combines oil, sand and scraffito; along with a collage work from 1961. In contrast to Fine’s later works on canvas, the artist’s gouache and ink on paper works on display in the exhibition will highlight her affinity for working with bold colours and geometric forms. Fine’s mylar, gouache, graphite, chalk, and collage on paperwork Surrealist Dreams (1959), also on display in the show, outlines a darker, more monochrome-based approach from Fine’s portfolio. The exhibition will be accompanied by a gallery publication, further delving into these diverse works and a dedicated programme of talks.