Arthur Monroe (b. 1935—d. 2019) was a dedicated adherent to abstract expressionism throughout his life, refining his craft and his personal relationship to painting over the course of seven decades. This painting from the 1980s underscores Monroe’s timeless formal sensitivities: rhythmic, almost calligraphic gestures interwoven with bold blocks of carefully controlled color.
 
Originally born in Harlem and raised in Brooklyn, Monroe rubbed shoulders with many luminaries of the New York Abstract Expressionists including Hans Hofmann, Franz Kline, and Jackson Pollock. Following his service in the Korean War, Monroe relocated to San Francisco, where he connected with the Beat poets and other Bay Area figureheads. He was a pioneer for live-work artist ran spaces and opened The Oakland Cannery in 1967, which he ran until his passing.