Joan Mitchell / Megan Rooney PAINTING FROM NATURE

The Espace Louis Vuitton Beijing is proud to present PAINTING FROM NATURE, an exhibition gathering the works of two major contemporary painters: Joan Mitchell and Megan Rooney. This presentation, part of the Fondation Louis Vuitton’s “Hors-les-murs” programme showcasing holdings of the Collection at the Espaces Louis Vuitton in Tokyo, Munich, Venice, Beijing, Seoul, and Osaka, carries out the Fondation’s mission to reach a broader public through international projects.  

Both artists embrace large-scale, gestural painting that engages their entire bodies. Mitchell’s dynamic brushstrokes and Rooney’s traces of physical movement—such as handprints—reveal the artists’ intimate connections with their work. Rooney’s use of color and gesture, adding to her interest in performance art, blurring the lines between painting, installation, and live action, creates an immersive experience, while Mitchell’s landscapes evoke strong emotional responses through color and texture. Together, the exhibition underscores the enduring legacy of Mitchell's pioneering work and the innovative, boundary-pushing art of Rooney, inviting viewers to explore the rich, sensory dialogue between the past and present of abstract and expressive painting.