Important Paul Jenkins (American, 1923-2012) “Phenomena Coriolis Wedge” Acrylic On Canvas, 1979

Paul Jenkins (American, 1923-2012) “Phenomena Coriolis Wedge” acrylic painting on canvas depicting an abstract composition designed with Jenkins' iconic use of vibrant swaths of polychromatic hues and lyrical abstraction. A double arched rainbow is abstracted with bold, textural exploration, showcasing dappled marbling lower left, smoothed and blended striations towards the center, and textural dissolution upper right. Signed in white lower left. Additionally signed, titled, dated, and inscribed St. Croix to the stretcher on verso.

The painting is presented with a brass trimmed wood frame.

Dimensions:
Canvas: 66” H x 77 1/4” W
Frame: 67 1/4” x 78 1/2" W

Condition: Some chipping and separation of the joinery of the frame in the top right corner and gentle wear around the frame. The artwork itself is good.

About the Artist:
Paul Jenkins is recognized as a key contributor to postwar American abstraction and has been associated with the second generation of Abstract Expressionism; however, his work from the 1960s and 1970s reveals a voice that is distinctly his own. Widely regarded as his mature period, these decades saw Jenkins refine his signature poured-paint technique into a practice that is at once controlled and intuitive. While often mentioned alongside figures such as Jackson Pollock, Jenkins’ approach is notably more measured—guiding diluted acrylic pigment across the surface, often with an ivory blade, to achieve luminous veils of color that feel both spontaneous and carefully orchestrated.

Based in Paris yet actively exhibiting on both sides of the Atlantic, he gained increasing institutional recognition during these years, with exhibitions at major venues including the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and the Whitney Museum of American Art. Works from this period, frequently titled with the “Phenomena” prefix, evoke natural forces—light, atmosphere, and movement—without ever settling into fixed imagery. They possess a quiet vitality: color flows, gathers, and disperses across the canvas in a way that feels both elemental and deliberate. Within the context of Jenkins’ oeuvre, paintings and prints from the 1960s and 1970s are among the most sought after, valued not only for their technical refinement and consistency, but also for the sense of balance they strike between disciplined process and poetic expression.