Gagosian Gallery in New York has opened "Willem de Kooning: Endless Painting," a non-chronological exhibition curated by Cecilia Alemani that spans the artist's career from 1944 to 1986. The show features institutional loans from MoMA and the Guggenheim, includes two sculptures—including the colossal bronze "Standing Figure" displayed indoors for the first time in nearly 30 years—and runs through June 14. A panel with artists John Currin and Dana Schutz will explore de Kooning's influence on May 15.
The exhibition matters because it offers a fresh, thematic perspective on de Kooning's oeuvre, juxtaposing works across decades to highlight recurring motifs in his figuration and abstraction. It also marks the reopening of Gagosian's renovated Chelsea space and comes amid a strong market for de Kooning, whose auction record of $68.9 million was set in 2018 and whose private sales have reached hundreds of millions. The show addresses ongoing debates about the artist's late-career work, made while he had Alzheimer's, and underscores his enduring influence on contemporary artists.