Inv. n°: CL854

Astor Mural

Oil on canvas secured to masonite board. Abstract Expressionism.

h. 162.56 x w. 93.98 cm

1959

Oil on canvas

See more by this artist

Provenance

  • Astor Theater in Time Square, New York, 1959
  • Estate of the Artist, 1982
  • Thence by decent to Jenny Johnson Sykes, 2006
  • Acquired to Jenny Johnson Sykes, 2020

Publications

  • G. Pauley, "9,500 Feet of Murals Her Big Work of Art", New York Herald Tribune, 
  • G. Pauley, "Dynamic Girl Remodeling Big Theater", New York Herald Tribune, 
  • A. Damaz, "Le nouveau théâtre Astor a New York", Art d'Aujourd'hui, June 1958
  • The New Astor Theatre Pamphlet, 1959
  • E. Harms, "On Becoming an Abstract Artist", The American Artist, June 1959
  • J. O'Connor, "Theatre Spotlight: Art at Astor", New York Journal American, 22nd October 1959
  • G. Gleason, "Astor Theater Will Get Huge Murals", New York Herald Tribune, 2nd November 1959
  • E. Swift, "Artist Is on Night Duty: Operation Theater", Newsday, 18th November 1959
  • G. Pauley, "Tiny Woman Completes Huge Mural", New York Herald Tribune, 14th December 1959
  • T. Novina, "Artist Is Tiny - her Art Is Huge", New York World-Telegram and Sun, 14th December 1959
  • L. E. Levick, "Time Square Hails Murals", New York Journal-American, 19th December 1959
  • D.A, "Buffie Johnson's Astor Mural", The Christian Science Monitor, Boston, 22nd December 1959
  • E. Genauer, "New Mural Is an Art Event", New York Herald Tribune, 27th December 1959
  • The Official Metropolitan Gotham Guide, 9th January 1960, p. 7
  • J. Morgenstern, "Automated Capitol, Abstract Astor, Mosaic State", New York Herald Tribune, 10th January 1960
  • B. Crowther, "Semi-New Theatres: Broadway Houses Bend To Need dir Change", The New York Times, 10th January 1960
  • "New Astor Theatre", Gotham Guide, 12-24 Janurary 1960
  • W. R. Raidy, "A Mile of Mural: Long Island's Buffie Johnson Creates One of Largest Paintings in Art History", Long Island Sunday Press, 30th January 1960, p. 17
  • "Local Names Work on Astor Theatre", The East Hampton Star, 17th March 1960
  • C. Burrows, "Buffie Johnson", New York Herald Tribune, 20th March 1960
  • "Art & Co.", New York Journal American, 26th March 1960
  • P. Tyler, "On Buffie Johnson: The City as a Cosmic Mural", Art International, October 1960, vol. IV, no. 8, 25, pp. 56-58
  • B. Alswang and H. Ambur, "The Hamptons: Johnson-Sykes House", The Personal House: Homes of Artists and Writers, Whitney Library of Design, New York, 1961, pp. 66-70 Incl. photos by Ambur Hiken of Buffie Johnson working in her three-storey studio on the Astor Murals
  • H. Gregory, "The Transcendentalism of Buffie Johnson", Art International, November 1965, vol. IX, no. 8, 20, pp. 13-15
  • W. Neugebauer, "Art in Path of Wrecker's Ball", New York Daily News, 4th October 1981
  • W. Neugebauer, "All Won't Be Lost at the Portman Site", New York Daily News, 9th March 1982
  • Buffie Johnson, Transcendentalist, New York, January 2002
  • Opalka Gallery, Albany, New York School: Another View, New York, 2005, p. 39
  • "Restoraton Convsersations: Women Artists and the Abstract Revolution", The Florentine You Tube, 21st April 2021
  • H. Farrell, "In the Gallery at Home with Christian and Florence Levett", The Florentine, May 2021, no. 278, p. 21
  • H. Farrell & L. Falcone, "At Home with Christian and Florence Levett: Collecting Art and Women's Abstract Expressionism", The Florentine.net, 5th May 2021, [On-line]. Available at: https://www.theflorentine.net/2021/05/05/at-home-gallery-christian-florence-levett/
  • S. Moore, "American Expressed", Apollo The International Art Magazine, 1st October 2021, p. 62
  • R. Leung, "From 4th-Century Greek Vases to Female Abstract Expressionism", Larry's List, 2022, [On-line]. Available at: https://www.larryslist.com/artmarket/the-talks/from-4th-century-greek-vases-to-female-abstract-expressionism/
  • Ellen G. Landau & Joan M. Marter, Abstract Expressionists: The Women, London, 2023, p. 119, p. 240
  • L. Frescobaldi, "The Kingdom of Female Artists, in the Home of Christian Levett", Inside Florence, A Tale of Palazzi and Botteghe, Marsilio Arte, 2024
  • S. Baskind, J. R. Cohen and al., "Introduction", FAMM - Female Artists of the Mougins Museum, France, Merrell and FAMM, May 2025, p. 13
  • B. Robaglia, "Christian Levett - The Collector and Philanthropist who gave Women Artists a Museum", Monaco Woman, Autumn-Winter 2025, p. 56
  • TL mag, "When the Best Work Was Still Available : Why I Turned to Women Artists", The Art of Collecting - Guest Edition : Simon de Pury, n°41, 6th February 2026, p. 71
  • V. Garcia - Osuna, "Colecctionistas", Tendencias del mercado del arte, December 2023

Exhibitions

  • Astor Theatre in Time Square, New York, USA, 1959-1982
  • New York Summer Night, Astor Theatre in Times Square, New York, USA, opened in 1959-12-17 and ended in 1982
  • Buffie Johnson Memorial Exhibition, Anita Shapolsky Gallery, New York, USA, 27th January 2007 — 24th March 2007

© Courtesy of Jenny Johnson SykesPhoto: © frasermarr.com

N.B. Our online collection is being continually updated thanks to ongoing research and documentation efforts carried out by The Levett Collection - FAMM documentation team. Any additional information is welcome, please contact us.