Clyfford Still had a bold artistic vision and was unwilling to compromise it for money or recognition. Still was among the first generation of Abstract Expressionists who developed a new and powerful approach to painting.
Described by many as the most anti-traditional of the Abstract Expressionists, Still is credited with laying the groundwork for the movement. Still’s shift from representational painting to abstraction occurred between 1938 and 1942, earlier than his colleagues, who continued to paint in figurative-surrealist styles well into the 1940s.
The Clyfford Still Museum Collection includes more than 93% of Still’s lifetime of work as well as his complete archives. The Clyfford Still Catalogue Raisonné project is underway and aims to create a comprehensive, publicly accessible record of Still’s artistic output. More than 2,500 of Still’s works are accessible in the Online Collection. As stewards for the majority of this artist’s work, the Museum’s conservation team is tasked to interpret changes in Still’s works and find the appropriate balance between materiality and intentionality. The Clyfford Still Museum Research Center encourages and supports humanities-based engagement with the Museum collections and archives.