“Revelation: Major Paintings by Jules Olitski”

Curated by E. A. Carmean Jr., Alison de Lima Greene, and Karen Wilkin

Should you visit this retrospective of Jules Olitski’s paintings, forget the formalist criticism that tried to normalize them. Instead, see the canvases as the artist often did—as gorgeous, sexy things that tested the rules of decorum. With some canvases in luscious pink, some as shiny as lip gloss, and some with titles like Prince Patutszky Pleasures, 1962, the works in this exhibition are far too sensuous to fit snugly within the bloodless category of “opticality.” “Revelation” will boast strong examples representing all phases of Olitski’s career, from his stains and sprays to his Baroque paintings, and the catalogue will offer essays by all three curators.