Jack Bush (1909–1977) is Canada’s most successful abstract artist of the 20th century. A graduate of OCAD and a key member of the Painters Eleven collective, he was a rare Toronto based artist who achieved an unrivalled level of success internationally after receiving acclaim by esteemed critic Clement Greenberg. He was able to evolve beyond Abstract Expressionism and became closely tied to both Color Field painting and Lyrical Abstraction.

Unlike many of his Color Field contemporaries, Bush only realized a small number of prints during his lifetime.

“Jeté en L’air” was commissioned by the Women’s Committee of the National Gallery of Canada to raise money for the National Ballet’s production of La Fille Mal Gardée. Set on a rich ochre background, swathes of defined color glide effortlessly across the page, mimicking the strength and ease of a ballet dancer.

Works from this period are distinguished by their layered backgrounds, which Bush created with sponges. This is subtle but distinctively different from his works created the 60’s, where the colors on odd geometric forms were applied quite flatly. His serigraphs from this era revel in their unconventional yet aesthetically pleasing combination of colors that are at once curious and decorative.

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“Jeté en L'air”

Serigraph

Canada, 1974

Signed, dated, and numbered by the artist

From an edition of 100

26.5”H 36.5”W (work)

35.75"H 45.75"W (framed)

Framed with museum glass

Very good condition