Inspired by the book Ninth Street Women, written by Mary Gabriel, the upcoming exhibition Ninth Street Women and Their Legacy at Somerville Manning Gallery delves into the artwork of Lee Krasner, Elaine de Kooning, Helen Frankenthaler, Joan Mitchell and Grace Hartigan. In the exhibition the works of these five historic American women artists will be placed alongside art by five living artists —selected by the gallery—who are inspired by the Ninth Street Women.
Elaine de Kooning (1918-1989), Portrait of Lee Hall, 1978. Oil on canvas, 50 x 36 in., signed lower right: ‘E de K’.
“It’s a wonderful book about the story of the growth of the New York art world [explored] through women,” says Vickie Manning, owner of Somerville Manning Gallery. “Their life story and career is in [the book], but along with that [Gabriel] puts them in the context of all the artists they were around...poets, philosophers, from the ’30s to about the ’60s...Everyone from Hofmann to Albers, everyone you can possibly think of is mentioned in the book and are involved with these five women. It’s also told from a woman’s view, which we appreciate.” 
Grace Hartigan (1922-2008), Male Figure, ca. 1952. Pen, brush, black ink, and ink wash on paper, 14 x 11 in.
Manning explains that while artists Willem de Kooning and Jackson Pollock gained continuous success, their wives Elaine de Kooning and Krasner, respectively, were often overlooked. “There was very much a gender inequality, so having Gabriel write a book where she emphasizes the talent of these women, we thought that would be a fantastic exhibition. The point was to also include contemporary artists of today who were inspired, influenced or knew these women,” she says. 
Helen Frankenthaler (1928-2011), Untitled, ca. 1989. Oil on linen-covered book, 11½ x 11½ x 1¾ in. Private collection.
And each of the artists working today who are featured in the exhibition indeed have some sort of connection with these five historic women artists, whether they knew them personally or were profoundly inspired by their work. For instance, artist Mary Page Evans was friends with de Kooning, Mitchell and Hartigan. Melissa Meyer, who currently has artwork at MoMA and the National Gallery, worked in New York in the 1970s and was very influenced by the art of Frankenthaler; and Cheryl Levin was directly influenced by Krasner.
“It was just something really fun we started working on and it’s still evolving,” says Manning. “I love pulling in the historical with [art of] today.”
The exhibition will be held from May 14 to June 26, and it will be accompained by an online catalog featuring historic photos of the artists. —
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