Joan Snyder is the abstract expressionist feminism forgot. Born in New Jersey in 1940, Synder was known in the 1960s when she emerged in a male-dominated art world with her sensual, maximalist “stroke” paintings. “At the time my idea was to study the anatomy of a stroke, isolating them and using them much like creating a symphony or a piece of music,” she says. Gestures, drips and strokes have all been constants in Snyder’s work since, as well as introducing unconventional materials to the mix: herbs, glitter, and bakr, all of which have a personal symbolism for the artist and have become part of her mystical visual language. Now painting for a fifth decade, it’s about time Snyder got some recognition in Europe: an extensive show at Blaine|Southern is running until 11 May and explores her recent and past work, and other contributions to the contemporary art world, such as the gallery for women artists she founded in 1971.
