Helen Frankenthaler: A Paintings Retrospective

From her first lyric stain paintings through the color-field experiments and structured improvisations of Scarlatti (1978) and Cassanova (1988), abstract expressionist Frankenthaler has demonstrated great visual versatility. The diversity of her work is on display in this catalogue of a traveling exhibition, billed as the first major retrospective in 20 years. The 40 paintings reproduced here in color reveal Frankenthaler's mystical gropings ( Buddha's Court , Eden ), her flirtation with identifiable imagery ( Winter Hunt , Nude ), and the way her travels and absorption of other artists' work are filtered through her pictures. In facing-page commentaries, Carmean, director of the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, discusses the personal history and poetic associations surrounding each picture. Included are the artist's own comments on how each painting should be approached. (June)