The Speed Art Museum in Louisville, Kentucky, will host "Abstract Expressionists: The Women" from May 16 to August 30, 2026. This is Kentucky's first exhibition devoted to Abstract Expressionism, featuring over 30 major female artists including Helen Frankenthaler, Joan Mitchell, Vivian Springford, Grace Hartigan, and Lee Krasner. The show includes works like Frankenthaler's *Circus Landscape* (1951) and Springford's *Scuba Series* (1972–1984/5), along with archival materials and a timeline of women's artistic achievements. Organized by the American Federation of Arts from the Christian Levett Collection and FAMM (Female Artists of the Mougins Museum), France, the exhibition is curated by Dr. Ellen G. Landau and presented locally by Tyler Blackwell.
This exhibition matters because it corrects the historical neglect of women artists within Abstract Expressionism, a movement long dominated by figures like Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning. By spotlighting these overlooked innovators, the Speed Art Museum continues its recent focus on women-focused exhibitions, offering a more inclusive and accurate narrative of mid-20th-century American art. It also provides a rare opportunity for audiences in the region to engage with major works from a movement that reshaped American art, paired with a complementary show from the museum's own collection.