M-3-72

Most often associated with contemporary Abstract Expressionists in New York, Marca-Relli developed his mature style in the early 1950s. His hallmark compositions enlist bits of cut canvas, burlap and expressive brushstrokes in unique collages, as in this example.

Born in Boston to Italian immigrant parents, the artist studied at New York’s Cooper Union and worked for the Works Progress Administration (WPA) as an instructor and for the easel division. It was here where Marca-Relli came into contact with Willem de Kooning and Franz Kline. His work is represented in the Guggenheim, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.