Richard Diebenkorn, Royal Academy

American painter Richard Diebenkorn defined the California school of Abstract Expressionism during the early 1950s, with his use of bright and seductive colours, and placement of the human figure into his abstract settings.
Who was Richard Diebenkorn? Biography…
Inspired by the warmth of New Mexico and the West Coast, Diebenkorn was one of the most influential American abstract painters of the 20^th century, alongside his New York counterparts Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning. He is best known for his ability to move fluidly between abstraction and figuration, as well as the expressive and personal touch of his paint brush. Diebenkorn also has famous fans, as the Obamas requested the artist's work to be hung in the Whitehouse. 
Royal Academy exhibition 2015
With the Rubens hubbub raging below in the main galleries, the Sackler Wing of the Royal Academy, London plays host to the first exhibition in 25 years of Richard Diebenkorn paintings in the UK. Divided into three sections, the exhibition follows the changes in Diebenkorn’s work from Abstract Expressionism, to more figurative work in the 1960s, and the return to abstraction in the 1970s. Look out particularly for the Ocean Park series, which highlights Diebenkorn’s inventive use of colour.
While you’re there…
Click here for our thoughts on the spring blockbuster exhibition at the Royal Academy, Rubens and His Legacy.