1948 Whitney Annual Review

Greenberg’s bluntness is always refreshing, but this closing paragraph from his January 1948 is especially interesting. He had been so harsh about the past shows, but his interest is now piqued:

“On the whole, American art has reason to congratulate itself on this year’s Whitney. It is far from being satisfying; and plenty of trash is still present; but something does seem to be fermenting, and for once I look forward with curiosity to next year’s Annual.”

His favorites in the show were Arshile Gorky, Adolph Gottlieb, and to some extent some things by Karl Knaths.

Normally a great supporter of Pollock, he ripped Pollock’s piece in this show as inadequate.