Helen FrankenthalerAmerican, 1928–2011I Need Yellow
Can I see it?
Not on view at present
Where is “I Need Yellow” now? Collection: Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago. Not on view at present. Checked September 29, 2026.
Chicago, United States
It belongs to the collection, but is not on display at present.
- Checked
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum
About the work
The Universal Limited Art Editions (U.L.A.E.) archive in the collection of the Art Institute reveals the many complex decisions and revisions a print undergoes before completion. For I Need Yellow and its related project Card, Frankenthaler produced nearly 60 sheets of trial and working proofs.
The artist gleaned the initial visual vocabulary for what would later become I Need Yellow from several stones she had created in 1971. She selected various drawn elements and transferred them to fresh stones, which allowed her to refine the images and experiment with color and placement.
Read on
The proofs illustrate just a few of the infinite possibilities the three stones allow. The choice of paper and ink colors, the arrangement of the visual elements, and even the order in which the stones are printed all contribute to the final product. In this case, the result is a stele of yellow grounded by green vines and accented with an orange flame.
Art Institute of ChicagoCC BY 4.0
Details
- Accession number
- 1982.486g
In the catalog
Sources
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Image: Art Institute of Chicago — © the artist or rights holder
