Upcoming Event: Lee Mullican, Works from the 50s
203 Fine Art and the Estates of Luchita Hurtado & Lee Mullican presents a selection of paintings from the 1950s by the celebrated Taos Modern, Lee Mullican (1919-1998). These abstracted paintings, dated 1956 to 1958, were created shortly after Mullican’s move to Los Angeles, marking a subtle yet striking shift in his practice. There becomes a lightness, with joyous elements of playful energy seemingly related to Mullican’s admiration of composer John Cage and three years spent in the festive culture of Sao Paulo, Brazil, on an artist exchange program.
Shortly after the last of these paintings were completed, in 1959 Mullican would win a Guggenheim fellowship to study in Rome. His works remain in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian, MoMA Paris and New York City, the San Francisco Museum of Art, and the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, as well as several major family foundations. This selection of paintings by Mullican represents a unique opportunity for the collecting public to acquire specially sourced material that most collections do not include.
The artworks, hand-picked from the artist’s estate, feature paintings which have never before been exhibited as a group, or in some cases, at all. 203 Fine Art is pleased to have the opportunity to present this exhibit in Taos, New Mexico, a place of spiritual energy and physical beauty that inspired Lee Mullican’s artwork throughout his lifetime.
Opening Reception: 5 - 7 PM | Saturday, May 24
Exhibition Dates: May 24 - July 7, 2025
