3 Review(s)

To explore the depth of the literary connection between William Carlos Williams and Frank O'Hara, particularly in relation to their American roots, this book examines their distinct responses to Abstract Expressionism, or the New York School artists. Although an outsider to this movement, Williams paid attention to its increasing popularity and ultimately valued its importance in the progression of American art. As an insider, O'Hara functioned as a vital critic and promoter of this group. Foremost among the artists discussed here are Jackson Pollock, Robert Mother-well, and David Smith. Examining Williams's and O'Hare's verse in light of these artists provides readers with a unique vantage point for understanding their appeal to these avant-garde poets, as well as for appreciating this moment in American art history. It reveals a unique amalgamation of ideas about art and poetry that redefined creativity in mid-twentieth-century America.