At the ripe age of 92, the Paris-based American painter Shirley Jaffe shows no sign whatsoever of slowing down. Now, the Fifth Avenue Tibor de Nagy Gallery is celebrating her mixed media works on paper from the last two decades, in a new eponymous exhibition.
More than 60 years ago, Jaffe moved to Paris and quickly established herself among a tight-knit circle of ex-pat American artists including Sam Francis, Ellsworth Kelly and Joan Mitchell. Even so, Jaffe eschewed Kelly’s rigid geometric forms and Mitchell’s brand of abstract expressionism.
‘Shirley hews to biomorphic shapes and forms, and some say her palette owes a nod to Matisse,’ says Andrew Arnot, Tibor de Nagy’s co-owner. Arnot has devoted five solo shows to Jaffe’s oeuvre, as well as featuring her work in a solo booth at the prestigious Art Dealers Association of America fair. Further proving her own prowess, Jaffe has garnered a total of 25 exhibitions in the US and in Europe, with the Pompidou and MoMA snapping up her paintings.
While Jaffe’s works on paper on occasion inform her oil paintings, the Left Bank artist has never thought of them as studies. ‘There’s a sense of fluidity and immediacy to Shirley’s works on paper,’ Arnot points out.
To this day, Jaffe is immersed in the cutting edge contemporary world. ’When I was last in Paris, we headed off to the galleries of Perrotin and Frank Elbaz,’ notes Arnot. One thing is certain – Jaffe is still a contender in the fast paced gallery scene.
‘Shirley hews to biomorphic shapes and forms, and some say her palette owes a nod to Matisse,’ says Andrew Arnot, Tibor de Nagy’s co-owner. Pictured left: Untitled . Right: Untitled, 1996
More than 60 years ago, Jaffe moved to Paris and quickly established herself among a tight-knit circle of esteemed ex-pat American artists, including Ellsworth Kelly and Joan Mitchell.
Despite this, Jaffe’s work eschews Kelly’s rigid geometric forms and Mitchell’s brand of abstract expressionism. Pictured left: Untitled. Right: Untitled
Jaffe has garnered an impressive 25 exhibitions in the US and in Europe, with the Pompidou and MoMA snapping up her paintings. Pictured left: Untitled . Right: Untitled
INFORMATION
‘Shirley Jaffe: Works on Paper’ is on view until 30 April. For more information, visit the Tibor de Nagy Gallery website
ADDRESS
Tibor de Nagy Gallery
724 Fifth Ave
New York
NY 10019
TELEPHONE
1.212 262 5050
-
Inside architect Andrés Liesch's modernist home, influenced by Frank Lloyd WrightAndrés Liesch's fascination with an American modernist master played a crucial role in the development of the little-known Swiss architect's geometrically sophisticated portfolio
-
Volvo’s quest for safety has resulted in this new, ultra-legible in-car typeface, Volvo CentumDalton Maag designs a new sans serif typeface for the Swedish carmaker, Volvo Centum, building on the brand’s strong safety ethos
-
We asked six creative leaders to tell us their design predictions for the year aheadWhat will be the trends shaping the design world in 2026? Six creative leaders share their creative predictions for next year, alongside some wise advice: be present, connect, embrace AI
-
Out of office: The Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the week'Tis the season for eating and drinking, and the Wallpaper* team embraced it wholeheartedly this week. Elsewhere: the best spot in Milan for clothing repairs and outdoor swimming in December
-
Nadia Lee Cohen distils a distant American memory into an unflinching new photo book‘Holy Ohio’ documents the British photographer and filmmaker’s personal journey as she reconnects with distant family and her earliest American memories
-
Out of office: The Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the weekIt’s been a week of escapism: daydreams of Ghana sparked by lively local projects, glimpses of Tokyo on nostalgic film rolls, and a charming foray into the heart of Christmas as the festive season kicks off in earnest
-
Ed Ruscha’s foray into chocolate is sweet, smart and very AmericanArt and chocolate combine deliciously in ‘Made in California’, a project from the artist with andSons Chocolatiers
-
Inside the work of photographer Seydou Keïta, who captured portraits across West Africa‘Seydou Keïta: A Tactile Lens’, an exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum, New York, celebrates the 20th-century photographer
-
Out of office: The Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the weekFrom sumo wrestling to Singaporean fare, medieval manuscripts to magnetic exhibitions, the Wallpaper* team have traversed the length and breadth of culture in the capital this week
-
María Berrío creates fantastical worlds from Japanese-paper collages in New YorkNew York-based Colombian artist María Berrío explores a love of folklore and myth in delicate and colourful works on paper
-
Out of office: the Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the weekAs we approach Frieze, our editors have been trawling the capital's galleries. Elsewhere: a 'Wineglass' marathon, a must-see film, and a visit to a science museum
