Abstract Connections

This conference, a collaboration between the University of York and Tate Modern, takes place on the occasion of two major exhibitions, Van Doesburg and the International Avant-Garde: Constructing a New World (4 February – 16 May 2010) and Arshile Gorky: A Retrospective (10 February – 3 May 2010) at Tate Modern, two major figures in the history of abstract art in the twentieth century. The artists and their contexts were divided by space and time, and certain histories of modern art have further distinguished their work by positioning it under opposing headings such as constructivist vs.

surrealist or geometric vs. biomorphic. However, the coincidence of these exhibitions offers the opportunity to consider broader issues associated with twentieth-century abstract art beyond movement-centred distinctions. An international line-up of speakers will provide new insights into historical and theoretical approaches to abstract art right up to the present day.