Twrkv catalogue raisonne now live!

The Estate of Jack Tworkov in collaboration with panOpticon is pleased to announce the publication of the online Catalogue Raisonné of Works on Canvas by Jack Tworkov. This is the first online catalogue raisonné of its kind released free to the public on the web.

Jack Tworkov (1900-1982) was a founding member of the New York School and is regarded as one of the prominent figures, along with Willem de Kooning, Philip Guston, Jackson Pollock, and Franz Kline, whose gestural paintings of the 1950s formed the basis for the abstract expressionist movement in America. With a career spanning five-decades, this new website and online catalogue highlights Tworkov’s historic presence and significant contribution to American Art of the 20th Century. In 2009 the artist’s writings were compiled and published in the book Extreme of the Middle: Writings of Jack Tworkov by Yale University Press.

The Tworkov Catalogue Raisonné Project is like no other of its kind. It is the first catalogue raisonné to be offered online and free to the public. It is also unique in that unlike the traditional print versions of the catalogue raisonné, which typically go out of date the moment they are printed, the Tworkov Catalogue Raisonné project as it is virtual, is open-ended and on-going accommodating new research.

The Tworkov Catalogue Raisonné is organized, compiled and edited by Jason Andrew, who has been active with the Estate since 2004. Mr. Andrew was responsible for organizing and curating Jack Tworkov / Against Extremes: Five Decades of Paintings, which was the first comprehensive retrospective exhibition of the artist’s work ever held in New York City in 2009. The exhibition subsequently traveled to the Provincetown Art Association and Museum. In 2010, Mr. Andrew organized and curated Jack Tworkov: The Accident of Choice which featured the artist at Black Mountain College, 1952. The accompanying catalogue offered an historic accounting of Tworkov friendship with Franz Kline, John Cage, Merce Cunningham, Stefan Wolpe, and the young Robert Rauschenberg.

At the very core of the catalogue are the artist's inventories, journals, and extensive archive, which was maintained throughout the artist's life and was continued by his late wife, Rachel 'Wally' Tworkov. Also actively involved are the artist’s daughters, Hermine Ford and Helen Tworkov.

The online database is designed by the innovative team at panOpticon whose experience in the field of catalogue design software includes the catalogues raisonnés of Paul Cézanne, Mary Cassatt, Roy Lichtenstein, and Sam Francis to name a few.

Taking advantage of the ground-breaking features of the panOpticon content management system, Mr. Andrew, worked with the design team at panOpticon to integrate nearly eight years of research seamlessly into the new catalogue raisonné which is housed within the framework of the Jack Tworkov website. The Jack Tworkov website is designed by Goingoffscript.

The first stage of the Tworkov Catalogue Raisonné Project features works on canvas with currently over 300 works online and growing. The goal is to eventually include all works made by the artist, including paintings and works on paper. The site will eventually add correspondence, audio and video recordings, and other documentation that will contribute to the definitive statement on Jack Tworkov.

The launch coincides with the 30th anniversary of the artist's passing in 1982. The Jack Tworkov Catalogue Raisonné Project can be viewed here.

panOpticon is proud to play a role in this important project.

The Estate of Jack Tworkov is represented by Mitchell-Innes & Nash, New York.