Untitled (from the Flight portfolio), 1971

A widely acclaimed figure of abstract expressionism, Adolph Gottlieb was an artist whose works encompassed the mediums of painting, printmaking and sculpture. Gottlieb’s work was heavily symbolic – he would create original symbolism and portray it in such a manner that it remained universal and connected to a notion that already existed within the viewer; Pictographs was a highly acclaimed series that succinctly exemplifies this universality and simplicity that all viewers can relate to. Gottlieb’s later paintings often employed thick brushstrokes and circular motifs, as evidenced in Brink – this technique became one of the foremost factors in the development of Colour Field painting. Asides from painting, Gottlieb also forayed into sculpture for around 18 months and created roughly 42 sculptures in total – his materials included welded and painted aluminium and steel; Gottlieb noted that his background as a painter made it difficult for him to imagine objects without colour.