Richard Diebenkorn

Richard Diebenkorn was a prominent American painter associated with the Abstract Expressionist and Bay Area Figurative movements. Born in Portland, Oregon, and active primarily in California, Diebenkorn diverged from his peers of the New York School to investigate his own contemporary expansion on the history of Modernism. He garnered great acclaim for his versatile approach to painting, evident in his shifting between abstract and figurative styles. His work, characterized by luminous colors, geometric shapes, and a balance between surface modulation and spatial depth, is often seen as a bridge between Abstract Expressionism and Color Field painting. Notably, his 'Ocean Park' series, an exploration of environment through color and light, remains a pinnacle of 20th-century American art, reflecting his continuous quest for form and clarity.