The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 19, 2025

Vertically oriented, elongated canvas with a background built up of muted pink acrylic paint splatters, overlaid with small spatters of teal and orange. Cream paint subtly outlines the edge of the upper left corner.

First Move

1969

Jules Olitski

(American, 1922–2007)
America
acrylic on canvas
Unframed: 267 x 48.3 cm (105 1/8 x 19 in.)
Gift of Louis D. Kacalieff, M.D. 1986.154
© Estate of Jules Olitski / Licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY
Location: 227 Abstract Expressionism

Did You Know?

On occasion Olitski experimented with unusually shaped canvases, such as this tall and narrow example.

Description

In order to create the many diaphanous and interpenetrating layers of color in First Move, Olitski used spray guns powered by air compressors to apply the paint. This method effectively eliminated such compositional elements as shape and outline, which are traditional in the history of painting. However, the artist attached masking tape to the upper border of this canvas, sprayed additional colors, and then removed the tape - thereby breaking the uniformity of the surface.
  • (David Mirvish Gallery, Toronto; Louis D. Kacalieff, Pepper Pike, Ohio.
  • Year in Review for 1986. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (February 4-March 15, 1987).
  • {{cite web|title=First Move|url=false|author=Jules Olitski|year=1969|access-date=19 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1986.154