Fritz Bultman
American, 1919 - 1985
Fritz Bultman (April 4, 1919 – July 20, 1985) was a prominent American abstract expressionist painter, sculptor, and collagist, recognized as a significant figure in the New York School of artists. Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, Bultman was the only son of A. Fred and Pauline Bultman. From an early age, he displayed a keen interest in art, nurtured by family friend Morris Graves. At just thirteen, he began his artistic journey, which soon took him to Germany for two years of study in Munich. There, he boarded with Maria Hofmann, wife of influential artist and teacher Hans Hofmann. Returning to the U.S., Bultman furthered his studies under Hofmann in both New York City and Provincetown, Massachusetts, defying his father’s wishes for him to pursue architecture in favor of a career in art.
By the late 1940s, Bultman was exhibiting alongside fellow abstract expressionists. In 1950, he joined the ranks of the “Irascibles,” a group of artists who publicly protested the conservative practices of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Bultman's unique approach included bronze casting, a discipline he explored in Florence thanks to a grant from Italy. He became the sole abstract expressionist to seamlessly integrate sculpture into his artistic repertoire.
Despite battling anxiety and depression, Bultman resumed his work after undergoing Freudian analysis, leading to significant contributions to modern art. Notably, in 1963, he and his wife helped create a modern art collection for Tougaloo College, a historically black institution in Jackson, Mississippi, amid the racial segregation of the South. His artistic journey was further enriched by a Fulbright Scholarship to Paris in 1964-65, where he expanded his practice to include large-scale collages and stained glass.
Bultman's work is characterized by meticulously organized abstract compositions, often merging sculpture and collage in innovative ways. He passed away from cancer in 1985, leaving behind a legacy of artistic exploration. Renowned artist Robert Motherwell described Bultman as "one of the most splendid, radiant, and inspired painters of my generation." Curator David Houston of the Ogden Museum of Southern Art acknowledged Bultman as an essential figure in shaping the American cultural landscape. Although his career faced challenges—such as missing a pivotal Life magazine photo shoot that helped elevate his contemporaries—Bultman remained steadfast in his artistic vision, focusing on his craft over art world politics. His works can be found in prestigious collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, ensuring that his contributions to abstract expressionism are celebrated and remembered.
By the late 1940s, Bultman was exhibiting alongside fellow abstract expressionists. In 1950, he joined the ranks of the “Irascibles,” a group of artists who publicly protested the conservative practices of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Bultman's unique approach included bronze casting, a discipline he explored in Florence thanks to a grant from Italy. He became the sole abstract expressionist to seamlessly integrate sculpture into his artistic repertoire.
Despite battling anxiety and depression, Bultman resumed his work after undergoing Freudian analysis, leading to significant contributions to modern art. Notably, in 1963, he and his wife helped create a modern art collection for Tougaloo College, a historically black institution in Jackson, Mississippi, amid the racial segregation of the South. His artistic journey was further enriched by a Fulbright Scholarship to Paris in 1964-65, where he expanded his practice to include large-scale collages and stained glass.
Bultman's work is characterized by meticulously organized abstract compositions, often merging sculpture and collage in innovative ways. He passed away from cancer in 1985, leaving behind a legacy of artistic exploration. Renowned artist Robert Motherwell described Bultman as "one of the most splendid, radiant, and inspired painters of my generation." Curator David Houston of the Ogden Museum of Southern Art acknowledged Bultman as an essential figure in shaping the American cultural landscape. Although his career faced challenges—such as missing a pivotal Life magazine photo shoot that helped elevate his contemporaries—Bultman remained steadfast in his artistic vision, focusing on his craft over art world politics. His works can be found in prestigious collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, ensuring that his contributions to abstract expressionism are celebrated and remembered.
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