Robert Motherwell's "Open" series, initiated in 1967, represents a significant period in the artist's career, exploring themes of openness, space, and the intersection between minimalism and Abstract Expressionism. This series spanned nearly two decades, during which Motherwell continuously evolved the conceptual and aesthetic frameworks of the works. Inspired by a serendipitous placement of a large and small canvas next to each other, the "Open" paintings are characterized by their minimalistic approach, employing rectangular forms and planes of color broken up by slender, minimally rendered lines (Wikipedia).
Throughout this period, Motherwell engaged with a range of mediums and techniques, each piece in the series reflecting a nuanced balance between the gesture and the geometric, the expressive and the restrained. One notable work, "Before the Day," exemplifies this balance, presenting a dynamic interplay between amorphous forms and geometric precision. The work is particularly intriguing for its title's backstory, tied to a personal anecdote involving the acquisition interest of Richard and Jane Lang, signaling Motherwell's thoughtful engagement with both his work and his audience (The Frisson Collection).
The "Open" series also reflects Motherwell's intellectual and theoretical interests, with the stark division of space on the canvas prompting reflections on the nature altered by human action, alongside purely artistic concerns such as paint viscosity and color fields. This melding of conceptual depth with aesthetic simplicity marks the series as a critical exploration of space, both physical and metaphorical (Ocula Art).
Significantly, the series coincided with a tumultuous period in Motherwell's personal life, including the end of his marriage to Helen Frankenthaler and his subsequent move to Greenwich, Connecticut. This move marked a new chapter both personally and artistically, as evidenced by works from this period that engage deeply with themes of loss, memory, and reflection, including a tribute to his friend Mark Rothko (The Dedalus Foundation).
Motherwell's "Open" series stands as a testament to his enduring influence on Abstract Expressionism and his relentless exploration of painting's potential to convey complex emotional and intellectual states. The series, with its evolving complexity and engagement with limited means, showcases Motherwell's mastery over his medium and his capacity to bridge European Surrealism with American abstract art, earning him a place among the most influential figures in post-war American art (Ocula Art) (Internet Archive).