The work of Abstract Expressionist Barnett Newman (1905 – 1970) made profound statements and defied artistic norms with minimal colors and shapes. Originally from New York, Newman created huge canvases characterized by large color fields and slender vertical lines he called “zips.” He also co-founded an art school with renowned artists Mark Rothko and Robert Motherwell. Radical, symbolic and spiritual, Newman’s works were initially resented and misunderstood. Later in his career, Newman received deep respect from the art world and strongly influenced the 1960s color-field painters.