Skip to main content

Stuart Davis: In Full Swing

September 16, 2017 – January 1, 2018

Abstract design with orange, yellow, and dark blue shapes, large arrow, on white background.
Abstract painting with colorful geometric shapes, letters, and numbers overlapping energetically.
Stuart Davis, The Mellow Pad, 1945–51, oil on canvas, 26 1/4 x 42 1/8 in. Brooklyn Museum; bequest of Edith and Milton Lowenthal. Image ©Estate of Stuart Davis/Licensed by VAGA New York, NY.

“…a universe of jazzy patterns and blazing colors.” – The New York Times

Artist Stuart Davis captures the cool in this special exhibition of 80+ paintings & drawings that prove he’s an American original.

With a career that stretched from the early 1900s into the ’60s, Davis is a leader in American modern art. Through his bold colors and dynamic forms, he merged the visuals of advertising with the rhythms of jazz.

Colorful abstract painting with geometric shapes, bold colors, and View 8 images
Abstract art with bold colors, geometric shapes, and text Colorful abstract artwork with geometric shapes, letters, and human figures in bold colors. Colorful street scene with multi-colored buildings, balconies, shutters, and outdoor café setup. Industrial landscape with factories, power lines, ships, and gasoline pumps in vibrant colors.

Stuart Davis: In Full Swing exhibition trailer

Sponsored By

Henry Luce Foundation / Terra Foundation for American Art

James Dyke and Helen Porter

This exhibition was organized by the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, and the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, by curators Barbara Haskell and Harry Cooper with Sarah Humphreville. Support is provided by the Henry Luce Foundation, and the Terra Foundation for American Art. This exhibition is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities. Sponsored at Crystal Bridges by James Dyke and Helen Porter.