Joan Snyder
Joan Snyder (b. 1940, Highland Park, NJ; lives and works in Woodstock and Brooklyn, NY) first gained public attention in the early 1970s with her gestural and elegant “stroke paintings”, which used the grid to deconstruct and retell the story of abstract painting.
Through a fiercely individual approach and persistent experimentation with technique and materials, Snyder has extended the expressive potential of abstract painting and inspired generations of emerging artists.
Artist: Studio
"For me it’s as if every painting is like a piece of music. It has different needs and different moments and different sounds and different expressions. That’s how I move through a painting.”
Artworks
Joan Snyder,
Autobiography,
2023,
Oil, acrylic, burlap, paper mache, flower stems, leaves, ink, paper on linen in three parts,
32 × 96 in (81.28 × 243.84 cm)
Joan Snyder,
Burlap Bars,
2022,
Oil, acrylic, rosebuds, twigs, burlap on linen,
54 × 66 in (137.16 × 167.64 cm)
Joan Snyder,
Soulcatchers,
2023,
Oil, acrylic, paper mache, burlap, rosebuds, straw, mud, ink, charcoal, paper on linen,
55 × 72 in (139.7 × 182.88 cm)
Joan Snyder,
Fragments of a Soul,
2017–18,
Oil, acrylic, ink, paper mache, paper, herbs, shells, straw, cloth on linen in two parts,
50 × 156 in (127 × 396.24 cm)
Joan Snyder,
Sub Rosa II,
2021,
Oil, acrylic, paper, ink, colored pencil on canvas in two parts,
54 × 64 in (137.16 × 162.56 cm)
Joan Snyder,
Orange Band,
2021,
Oil, acrylic, burlap, mud, pastel on linen,
24 × 24 in (60.96 × 60.96 cm)
Joan Snyder,
SHE,
2017,
60 × 42 in (152.4 × 106.68 cm)
oil, acrylic, watercolor, paper, cloth, colored pencil, pastel on canvas
Joan Snyder,
Paint A Pond,
2019,
32 × 64 in (81.28 × 162.56 cm)
Oil, acrylic, burlap, paper on canvas
Joan Snyder,
The Summer Becomes a Room,
2018,
42 × 62 in (106.68 × 157.48 cm)
Oil, acrylic, herbs, rosebuds, burlap, cloth on canvas
Joan Snyder,
In Woodstock,
2019,
32 × 64 in (81.28 × 162.56 cm)
oil, acrylic, burlap, cloth, mud, herbs on linen
Joan Snyder,
Inner Green,
2019,
50 × 72 in (127 × 182.88 cm)
Oil, acrylic, paper mache, burlap, dried flowers on linen
Joan Snyder,
Field Marks,
2019,
30 × 96 in (76.20 × 243.84 cm)
Oil, acrylic, burlap, paper, and rose stems on canvas
Installation Views
Installation view of Joan Snyder The Summer Becomes a Room, Sep 2 – Oct 17, 2020, CANADA
Installation view of Joan Snyder in Affinities for Abstraction: Women Artists on Eastern Long Island at the Parrish Art Museum, May 2–July 18, 2021
Installation image of Joan Snyder in Making Their Mark and exhibition curated by Cecilia Alemani at the Shah Garg Foundation, November 2, 2023—March 23, 2024
Installation view of Joan Snyder in Interflow at Pilar Corrias, London, August 4—September 16, 2023
Exhibitions
Publications
ComeClose, Joan Snyder, 2024
Joan Snyder
ComeClose, 2024
The Summer Becomes a Room, Joan Snyder, 2020
Joan Snyder
The Summer Becomes a Room, 2020
Press
Helen Molesworth "Thaddaeus Ropac now represents Joan Snyder." Artdaily February 27, 2024
Katya Kazakina "Work of the Week: ‘Trio’ by Joan Snyder." Artnet January 31, 2024
Jac Lahav "Joan Snyder’s brilliant command of chaos." Two Coats of Paint January 23, 2024
Jerry Saltz "8 Art Shows We Can’t Wait to See in 2024." Vulture January 3, 2024
Jan Avgikos "Painting in New York: 1971-83." Artforum January, 2023
Donald Kuspit "Joan Snyder." Artforum October 1, 2022
Ksenia Soboleva "Painting in New York: 1971-83." The Brooklyn Rail October, 2022
Norman L Kleeblatt "Joan Snyder: To Become a Painting." The Brooklyn Rail July 1, 2022
Roberta Smith "At the Shed, Frieze II Takes Off." The New York Times May 19, 2022
"Solo Shows at Frieze New York." Frieze May 4, 2022
"Pioneering Women Artists at Frieze New York 2022." Frieze April 22, 2022
"NYC-ARTS Full Episode: April 7, 2022." NYC-ARTS April 7, 2022
"Joan Snyder Zooms with the Zimmerli." Zimmerli Art Museum March 18, 2021
"Artful Recommends: Joan Snyder at Canada." Artful October 15, 2020
William Corwin "Joan Snyder: The Summer Becomes a Room." The Brooklyn Rail October 2020
"Joan Snyder: The Summer Becomes a Room at Canada Gallery, NYC." Arte Fuse October, 2020
Jason Andrew "Joan Snyder: Painting from the inside out." Two Coats of Paint September 18, 2020
"NYC-ARTS Choice: Joan Snyder’s Smashed Strokes Hope." NYC-ARTS January 9, 2020
Daniel Sturgis "Grit and Vitality, Daniel Sturgis on Joan Snyder at Blain Southern, London." Texte Zur Kunst Magazine August 28, 2019
Skye Sherwin "Joan Snyder’s Proserpina: a cycle of death and renewal." The Guardian April 5, 2019
Rosemary Waugh "Joan Snyder: Rosebuds & Rivers review." TimeOut April 4, 2019
Karen Wilkin "Epic Abstraction’ Review: High Expectations and Trepidations." The Wall Street Journal January 12, 2019
"Ones to Watch: The Rising Art Stars of 2019." Elephant January 2, 2019
Peter Schjeldahl "The Inflation of Abstraction." The New Yorker December 31, 2018
Roberta Smith "At the Met Museum, an Abstract Show that Falls Short of Epic." The New York Times December 20, 2018
David Cohen "Featured Item from THE LIST: Joan Snyder at Anders Wahlstedt." Artcritical December 13, 2018
Molly Snyder-Fink "My Mother’s Altar: Joan Snyder Paints to Face Herself." Woman’s Art Journal Fall/Winter, 2018
"Joan Snyder: The Female Presence." Two Coats of Paint May 16, 2018
Ezrha Jean Black "Artillery Best in Show 2017." Artillery January 2, 2018
"5 Questions with Joan Snyder." Elephant August 28, 2017
Catherine Wagley "5 Art Shows to See in L,A, This Week." LA Weekly June 14, 2017
David Pagel "Forrest Bess and Joan Snyder Paintings Shine in a Show That Gets Past the Dark History." Los Angeles Times June 6, 2017
"Forrest Bess and Joan Snyder at Parrasch Heijnen Gallery, Los Angeles." ARTnews June 5, 2017
Jonathan Griffin "Joan Snyder, Womansong." ArtReview Summer, 2016
"Must See Los Angeles." Artforum May 11, 2016
David Pagel "Review: Discoveries at Every Turn in Joan Snyder Paintings at Parrasch Heijnen." Los Angeles Times May 11, 2016
Amy Marie Slocum "Q&A: Joan Snyder." Flaunt May, 2016
Jan Lhormer "All That Glitters: A Conversation with Joan Snyder." Provincetown Arts 2016
Julian Kreimer "Joan Snyder at Franklin Parrasch." Art in America September 30, 2015
Roberta Smith "Review: From Joan Snyder, a Profusion of Flowers at Franklin Parrasch." The New York Times June 11, 2015
Hovey Brock "Joan Snyder: Sub Rosa." The Brooklyn Rail June, 2015
Peter Blagens "Romantic Abstracts, ‘Product Paintings’ and 3-D Pixels." The Wall Street Journal May 22, 2015
Maura Reilly "Six Pioneering Feminist Artists Conquer New York." Hyperallergic April 30, 2015
Heather Corcoran "On Artists, the Absurd, and the Sublime: Cristin Tierney Gallery at Expo Chicago." Artsy September 18, 2014
Cara Manes "Speaking with Joan Snyder About Sweet Cathy’s Song." MoMA Inside Out May 8, 2014
Emily Nathan "Joan Snyder: Gering & Lopez." ARTnews March 1, 2013
Susan Tallman "Getting Complicated: Joan Snyder Prints." Art in Print November-December
Kate McQuiad "A Life Reflected in Rage, Grief, Gratitude: Joan Snyder: Dancing with the Dark." The Boston Globe October 24, 2011
Martha Schwendener "The Consciousness of a Feminist Expressionist." The New York Times May 14, 2011
Lance Esplund "Lady of the Wild Things." The Wall Street Journal April 27, 2011
Holland Cotter "A New Sparkle for Abstract Ensemble: Joan Snyder: Tang Museum." The New York Times January 6, 2011
Cassandra Langer "Joan Snyder at Betty Cuningham." ARTnews November 2, 2010
Jeff Frederick "Joan Snyder at Betty Cuningham." Art in America October 10, 2010
Roberta Smith "A Year in the Painting Life." The New York Times October 1, 2010
Karen Rosenberg "A Raucous Reflection on Identity: Jewish and Feminine." The New York Times September 10, 2010
David Pagel "Review: Joan Snyder at Solway-Jones Gallery." Los Angeles Times March 13, 2009
Achim Hochdorfer "A Hidden Reserve: Painting from 1958-1965." Artforum February 1, 2009
Cate McQuaid "Her Intelligent Paintings Are Works of ‘Genius’." The Boston Globe October 1, 2008
Felicia R Lee "MacArthur Foundation Gives Out ‘Genius Awards'." The New York Times October 18, 2007
Erica Orden "A MacArthur ‘Genius’ Wants Her Work Seen." The New York Sun September 25, 2007
Nancy Princenthal "Feminism Unbound." Art in America June/July, 2007
Edward Leffingwell "Joan Snyder at Betty Cuningham." Art in America June/July, 2007
Martha Schwendener "Art in Review: Joan Snyder." The New York Times March 16, 2007
Roberta Smith "Between the Precise Layers, A Cultural Narrative." The New York Times March 16, 2007
"Feminist Art: A Reassessment: Susan Bee, Mira Schor, and Joan Snyder." M/E/A/N/I/N/G Magazine 2007
Mark Stevens "Iron Joan." New York Magazine September 19, 2005
James Gardner "Joan Snyder: A Painting Survey 1969-2005." New York Post September 5, 2005
Michael Kimmelman "In Every Stroke, Life’s Fierce Pageant." The New York Times August 26, 2005
Karen Rosenberg "Joan Snyder: A Painting Survey, 1969-2005." New York Magazine August 15, 2005
Robin Pogrebin "The Week Ahead." The New York Times August 7, 2005
Susan Harris "Joan Snyder at Betty Cuningham and Alexandre." Art in America April, 2005
Cynthia Nadelman "Joan Snyder: Betty Cuningham and Alexandre." ARTnews March, 2005
Rachel Youens "'Joan Snyder at Betty Cuningham' in 'Artseen'." The Brooklyn Rail December
"Art: Galleries – Chelsea." The New Yorker, November 22, 2004
Lance Esplund "Fresh Paint: Critics’ Choice." Modern Painters Autumn, 2004
Grace Glueck "Art in Review: The Art of Aging." The New York Times January 9, 2004
D. Dominick Lombardi "Art Reviews: Gems, Indoors and Out." The New York Times July 27, 2003
Ken Johnson "Primary Fields." The New York Times May 18, 2001
Suzanne Chessler "The Voice of Experience." The Jewish News May 4, 2001
Holland Cotter "Art in Review: ‘Immediacies of the Hand’ Recent Abstract Paintings in New York." The New York Times April 9, 1999
David McCracken "Snyder Paints to Try to Heal the Children." Chicago Tribune December 9, 1998
Grace Glueck "Art Guide: Joan Snyder." The New York Times December, 1998
Mason Klein "Joan Snyder." Artforum October, 1998
Holland Cotter "Art Guide." The New York Times May 29, 1998
Ken Johnson "The New York Times." April 15, 1998
Miles Unger "Joan Snyder." ARTnews March, 1998
"Awards: Joan Snyder: 1969-Now ‘Best Regional Show." Art in America MAY, 1995
"Art: The 10 Best Shows of 1994." New York Magazine December 19-26, 1994
Peter Schnore "Joan Snyder: Works With Paper." Art Matters December, 1994
Roberta Smith "Building on the Bare, Bare Bones." The New York Times August 12, 1994
Phyllis Braff "The Restlessness and Imaginations of 2 Important Pioneers." The New York Times July 31, 1994
Hayden Herrera "Joan Snyder Traffics in Art and True Grit." The New York Times July 24, 1994
Roberta Smith "To Enchant (blue)." The New York Times July 22, 1994
Holland Cotter "Taking It Personally: Putting Emotions to Paper." The New York Times April 8, 1994
"Who Are the Most Underrated and Overrated Artists?." ARTnews February 1, 1994
Jed Perl "Snyder's Earth, Freud's skin." New Criterion February, 1994
"Joan Snyder/Jessica Stockholder Voice Choices." Village Voice January 26, 1994
Elizabeth Hess "Fem Fatale." Village Voice January 25, 1994
Jed Perl "Getting Emotional: On Paintings of Lisa Zwerling and Joan Snyder." The New Criterion 1993
Joan Snyder "Being a Mother." Meaning November, 1992
Holland Cotter "In Orbit Amid Black and Silk." The New York Times October 30, 1992
Holland Cotter "Joan Snyder at Hirschl & Adler Modern." Art in America, October, 1990
Jed Perl "Mixed Media." New Criterion April 8, 1990
Helen A. Harrison "Poles of Expression: Formal and Emotional." The New York Times December 4, 1988
Roberta Smith "Artworks that Strike Up Conversations with Viewers." The New York Times April 1, 1988
Jed Perl "The Joans of Art." Vouge March, 1998
Michael Brenson "True Believers Who Keep the Flame of Painting." The New York Times June 7, 1987
Susan Gill "Painting From the Heart." ARTnews April 1, 1987
Gerrit Henry "Joan Snyder: True Grit." Art in America February 2, 1986
Susan Gill "Joan Snyder, Hirschl & Adler Modern." ARTnews December 10, 1985
Gerrit Henry "Joan Snyder’ in ‘Expressionism Today: An Artists’ Symposium." Art in America December 1, 1982
Leo Rubinfien "Joan Snyder, Hamilton Gallery." Artforum Summer
Hilton Kramer "Other Exhibitions This Week..." The New York Times March 3, 1978
David L. Shirey "Spirited Feminist Wields Bold Brush." The New York Times February 12, 1978
Sally Webster "Joan Snyder, Fury and Fugue, Politics of the Inside." Feminist Art Journal Summer, 1976
Hayden Herrera "Joan Snyder at Carl Solway." Art in America May-June, 1976
Joan Snyder "Painters Reply..." Artforum 1975, September
Laurie Anderson "Joan Snyder’s Recent Paintings at Paley & Lowe..." ARTnews May, 1973
John Elderfield "The Whitney Annual." Art in America May-June, 1972
Dave Hickey "Frankenthaler at Emmerich, Joan Snyder at Paley & Lowe." Art in America January-February, 1972
Knute Stiles "Joan Snyder." Artforum November, 2023
Marcia Tucker "The Anatomy of a Stroke: Recent Paintings by Joan Snyder." Artforum May, 1971
CV
b. 1940 in Highland Park, NJ
Lives and works in Brooklyn and Woodstock, NY
Education
1966
MFA, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ
1962
A.B., Douglass College at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2024
Joan Snyder, Thaddaeus Ropac, London, United Kingdom (forthcoming)
ComeClose, CANADA, New York, NY
2022
To Become A Painting, Franklin Parrasch Gallery, New York, NY
A Perspective, 1968-2017, Frieze New York, Franklin Parrasch Gallery, New York, NY
2021
Silk & Song, Galerie Haas, Zürich, Switzerland
2020
The Summer Becomes a Room, CANADA, New York, NY
2019
Rosebuds & Rivers, Blain|Southern, London, UK
2018-19
Six Chants and One Altar, Anders Wahlstedt Fine Art, New York, NY
2018
Selected Prints 1975-2018, Anders Wahlstedt Fine Art, New York, NY
2017
Kabinett: Joan Snyder, New Works, Art Basel Miami Beach, Franklin Parrasch Gallery, Miami Beach, FL
2016
Womansong, Parrasch Heijnen Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2015
Sub Rosa, Franklin Parrasch Gallery, New York, NY
Spotlight: Joan Snyder, Franklin Parrasch Gallery at Frieze, New York, NY
Joan Snyder: Works Large & Small, Elena Zang Gallery, Woodstock, NY
2013
Symphony, Gering & López Gallery, New York, NY
2012
Joan Snyder: Paper Pulp Paintings, Cristin Tierney Gallery, New York, NY
2011-12
Dancing with the Dark: Prints by Joan Snyder 1963-2010, Zimmerli Art Museum, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ (travelled to Boston University Art Gallery, MA; University of Richmond Museums, VA; and University of New Mexico Art Museum, NM)
2011
Joan Snyder/Intimate Works, Mabel Smith Douglass Library, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ (travelled to Boston University Art Gallery Annex, MA)
Joan Snyder: Paper Pulp Paintings/Prints/Paintings, Elena Zang Gallery, Woodstock, NY
2010
Joan Snyder: A Year in the Painting Life, Betty Cuningham Gallery, New York, NY
2009
Joan Snyder, Solway Jones, Los Angeles, CA
Selected Paintings 1999-2007, Carl Solway Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
Seeds and Blossoms, Elena Zang Gallery, Woodstock, NY
2008
...and seeking the sublime, Nielsen Gallery, Boston, MA
Joan Snyder: One Blue Sky, Ten Political Paintings 1970-2008, Danforth Museum of Art, Framingham, MA
2007
Joan Snyder: New Paintings, Betty Cuningham Gallery, New York, NY
2005-06
Joan Snyder: A Painting Survey, 1969-2005, The Jewish Museum, New York, NY (travelled to the Danforth Museum, MA)
2005
Two Rivers, Nielsen Gallery, Boston, MA
2004
Joan Snyder: Women Make Lists, Betty Cuningham Gallery, New York, NY
Joan Snyder: Works on Paper 1970s and Recent, Alexandre Gallery, New York, NY
2003
Joan Snyder: New Work, Elena Zang Gallery, Woodstock, NY
2002
The Nature of Things, Nielsen Gallery, Boston, MA
Joan Snyder: In Love with Paint, Muroff Kotler Gallery, Ulster County Community College, Stone Ridge, NY
2001
Joan Snyder: Primary Fields, Robert Miller Gallery, New York, NY
2000
Kaddish / Requiem, Philadelphia Museum of Jewish Art, Philadelphia, PA
In Times of Great Disorder, Nielsen Gallery, Boston, MA
1998
Working in Brooklyn: Joan Snyder: Works on Paper, Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, NY
Joan Snyder New Paintings, Hirschl & Adler Modern, New York, NY
1997
Joan Snyder, Nielsen Gallery, Boston, MA
1996
Joan Snyder: Paintings 1995-96, Hirschl & Adler Modern, New York, NY
Joan Snyder: New Works on Paper, The Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum, New Brunswick, NJ
1995
Joan Snyder, New Paintings, Locks Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
1994
Joan Snyder: Painter 1969 to Now, Rose Art Museum, Brandeis University (travelled to The Parrish Art Museum, Waltham, MA; and Southampton, NY)
1993
Joan Snyder: Works with Paper, curated by Sarah Anne McNear, Allentown Art Museum, Allentown, PA
1992
Hirschl & Adler Modern, New York, NY
1991
Nielsen Gallery, Boston, MA
1990
Joan Snyder, Hirschl & Adler Modern, New York, NY
1989
New Painting, Compass Rose Gallery, Chicago, IL
1988-89
Joan Snyder Collects Joan Snyder, Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum, Santa Barbara, CA (travelled to Brown University, RI; SUNY Stonybrook, NY; De Saisset Museum, CA; Sonoma State University, CA)
1988
Cantatas and Requiems, Compass Rose Gallery, Chicago, IL
Joan Snyder, Hirschl & Adler Modern, New York, NY
1986
Nielsen Gallery, Boston, MA
1985
Joan Snyder, Hirschl & Adler Modern, New York, NY
1983
Nielsen Gallery, Boston, MA
1982
New Work, Hamilton Gallery, New York, NY
1981
Resurrection and Studies, Matrix Gallery, Wadsworth Athenaeum, Hartford, CT
1979
New Paintings, Patricia Hamilton Gallery, New York, NY
Joan Snyder, San Francisco Art Institute, San Francisco, CA (traveling exhibition)
1978
Joan Snyder: Seven Years of Work, Neuberger Museum, S.U.N.Y. at Purchase, NY
New Work, Hamilton Gallery, New York, NY
1976
Joan Snyder: New Work, 1974-75, Carl Solway Gallery, New York, NY
Joan Snyder, Los Angeles Institute of Contemporary Art, Century City, CA
Joan Snyder: Recent Paintings, Portland Center for the Visual Arts, Portland, OR
1975
New Work, 1974-75, Carl Solway Gallery, New York, NY
1973
Paintings, Paley & Lowe, New York, NY
1972
Artist Series I, Douglass College, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Women, New Brunswick, NJ
1971
Joan Snyder: New Paintings, Michael Walls Gallery, San Francisco, CA
Joan Snyder/Paintings, Paley & Lowe, New York, NY
1970
Three Paintings, Paley & Lowe, New York, NY