Born in 1925, Mitchell was a leading abstract artist whose career spanned over four decades, working in various media such as oil, pastel, and printmaking.
One hundred years later and over 30 years after her death in 1992, the Joan Mitchell Foundation, established in 1993, is commemorating her life and work through a series of events. “The centennial is an important occasion both to honor Joan Mitchell’s creative process and remarkable contributions to abstract painting, and to foster a deeper understanding of her lasting legacy and, especially, her support for other artists,” said Christa Blatchford, Executive Director of the Joan Mitchell Foundation.
Joan Mitchell at her home in Vétheuil, France, circa 1980. Photographer unknown, Joan Mitchell Foundation Archives.
Throughout 2025, 70 museums worldwide will showcase her work, through lectures, exhibitions, and conferences in both the US and France, focusing on Mitchell’s art and lasting impact. Two new books on the artist will also be published, Joan Mitchell Paints a Symphony: La Grande Vallée Suite by Lisa Rogers and Joan Mitchell and Her Dogs by Laura Morris.
In February, Marion Cajori's recently remastered 1992 documentary Joan Mitchell: Portrait of an Abstract Painter will be available on the Foundation's website, alongside previously unseen archives.
Joan Mitchell, Untitled, 1969. © Estate of Joan Mitchell.
“Throughout the centennial year programs, we will be highlighting Mitchell’s vital role in art history, which continues to inspire new interpretations, contrasts, and points of comparison that underscore her unique vision,” explains Blatchford.
A full list of participating institutions and events is available on the Foundation’s website.
Top image: Joan Mitchell in her studio in Vétheuil, 1983. Photography by Robert Freson © Joan Mitchell Foundation
