5 Reasons Barnett Newman's 'Now II' Remains The Most Challenging Painting Of The Abstract Expressionist Era
Few artworks in the canon of 20th-century American painting hold the philosophical weight and physical challenge of Barnett Newman's *Now II* (1967). As of late 2025, this monumental acrylic on canvas continues to be a cornerstone of modern art, housed within the prestigious Menil Collection in Houston, Texas. Its stark simplicity—a vast field of color bisected by a single, vertical line—is not a void of meaning, but an intense meditation on space, time, and the very nature of human existence, rooted in Newman's revolutionary concept of "The Sublime is Now."
The painting, created late in the artist’s career, embodies the culmination of his decades-long quest to forge a new, mythic art form in the aftermath of World War II. It stands as a powerful, enduring testament to the Abstract Expressionist movement, demanding a visceral, up-close encounter from every viewer to truly reveal its subtle complexities and raw, spiritual force. Its relevance today, more than fifty years later, is arguably greater than ever.
Barnett Newman: A Concise Biographical Profile
Barnett Newman was a pivotal American painter, theorist, and art critic, widely regarded as one of the most intellectual figures of the New York School. His work was instrumental in the transition from Abstract Expressionism to Color Field Painting.
- Full Name: Barnett Newman
- Born: January 29, 1905, New York City, New York, U.S.
- Died: July 4, 1970, New York City, New York, U.S.
- Nationality: American
- Education: City College of New York (CCNY)
- Movement: Abstract Expressionism, Color Field Painting
- Signature Device: The "Zip" (a thin, vertical line of color)
- Key Philosophical Essay: "The Sublime is Now" (1948)
- Notable Works: Onement I (1948), Vir Heroicus Sublimis (1950–51), The Stations of the Cross (1958–66), and Now II (1967).
- Context: Born to Jewish immigrant parents from Poland, Newman's art sought to create a modern, mythic art that moved beyond European traditions, addressing the profound spiritual and philosophical crises of the post-war era.
The Anatomy of 'Now II': The Ultimate Zip Painting
The 1967 painting *Now II* is a towering example of Newman’s mature style, a work that strips painting down to its absolute essentials to maximize its impact. The artwork is a massive acrylic on canvas, measuring 335.9 × 127.3 cm, and is currently held by The Menil Collection.
The composition is deceptively simple: a large, dark field of color is split by a single, narrow, vertical line. This line is Newman’s famous "zip"—a device he introduced in 1948 with his seminal work, *Onement I*. In *Now II*, the zip does not merely divide the canvas; it activates the entire space, transforming a flat surface into a spatial, existential experience.
The zip in this work is a crucial entity. It functions as a ray of light, a break in the color field, and a spatial marker that forces the viewer to confront the painting's scale and their own position relative to it. Newman himself defined the zip as a vertical line of color that represents a single ray of light. This technique fundamentally redefined abstract art, moving away from the gestural brushstrokes of other Abstract Expressionists like Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning toward a purer, more consistent form.
In the context of the larger Color Field Painting movement, which was championed by critic Clement Greenberg and included artists like Mark Rothko and Adolph Gottlieb, Newman's work stands apart due to the sheer austerity and philosophical depth of his reductionism.
5 Revolutionary Concepts That Make 'Now II' Endlessly Challenging
To understand the lasting impact of *Now II*, one must look beyond its physical form and delve into the radical ideas Newman embedded within it. These concepts continue to challenge critics and viewers in the contemporary art world.
1. The Embodiment of "The Sublime is Now"
Newman’s 1948 essay, "The Sublime is Now," is the philosophical blueprint for *Now II*. He argued that traditional European art, focused on beauty and classical forms, could no longer address the spiritual needs of modern humanity. Instead, he sought a new kind of "sublime"—a feeling of awe, terror, and boundlessness—that could be experienced in the present moment ("Now"). The monumental scale and stark simplicity of *Now II* are designed to engulf the viewer, creating a direct, unmediated encounter with the sublime, bypassing historical context or narrative.
2. The Radical Use of Scale and the Viewer's Position
*Now II* is deliberately tall and narrow (over 11 feet high), a dimension that relates directly to the human body. Newman insisted that his paintings must be viewed up close, forcing a confrontation between the viewer and the artwork. This noncontextualist approach to space means the painting is not an object to be looked at from a distance, but an environment to be entered. The zip acts as a stand-in for the viewer, a vertical presence that emphasizes the "here and now" of the encounter, making the experience intensely personal and physical.
3. The Zip as a Metaphysical Entity
While the zip is formally a line, Newman intended it to be a metaphysical element—a symbol of creation, division, and light. It is often cited as a metaphor for the biblical moment of creation, where light is separated from darkness. In *Now II*, the zip is not a drawn line on a background; it is an independent event that defines the space around it. This dual role—both a structural element and a spiritual symbol—is what gives the painting its profound, challenging ambiguity.
4. A Forerunner to Minimalism and Post-Painterly Abstraction
The reductive nature of *Now II* makes it a crucial bridge between Abstract Expressionism and the later movements of Minimalism and Post-Painterly Abstraction. Critics like Clement Greenberg recognized Newman's move away from the emotional intensity of gestural painting toward a cooler, more formal consistency of color and form. The painting’s flat, expansive color field and the precision of the zip anticipate the systematic, non-referential art of Minimalist artists who followed, demonstrating its enduring influence on contemporary artistic practice.
5. Enduring Critical and Market Influence
Although Newman's work was not widely appreciated during his lifetime, his influence has only grown exponentially since his death in 1970. Today, the Barnett Newman Foundation actively promotes his legacy, and his works command staggering prices at auction, with realized prices reaching tens of millions of dollars. The sheer value and intellectual complexity of paintings like *Now II* ensure their continued presence in major collections and their status as subjects of deep scholarly review and public debate, proving that the sublime, indeed, is still now.
The Legacy of 'Now II' in Contemporary Art
The legacy of *Now II* extends far beyond its physical canvas. It represents a paradigm shift in how abstract art is conceived and experienced. It taught a generation of artists that a painting could be about the relationship between the viewer and the space, rather than a representation of an object or emotion. The intense focus on color and the activation of the canvas's edges, a core concept of Color Field artists, is perfectly distilled in this work.
The simplicity of *Now II* is its strength and its challenge. It resists easy interpretation, demanding that the viewer bring their own consciousness to the encounter. This active participation is the heart of Newman’s philosophy. The painting’s current home at The Menil Collection ensures that this demanding, sublime experience remains accessible to the public, a vital touchstone for anyone seeking to understand the spiritual ambition of post-war American art.
Ultimately, *Now II* is not just a painting; it is a declaration. It is Newman’s final, resounding statement that art should be a direct, profound, and immediate encounter with the infinite, experienced right here, right now.
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