Elaine and Bill

Elaine (1918-1989) and Willem de Kooning (1904-1997) were at the heart of the abstract expressionist movement that flourished in postwar America. They painted and lived according to the philosophical tenets of the mid-twentieth century movement that many scholars believe to have been America's most important contribution to the history of art. Their ground breaking paintings set trends and sparked debates that radically altered the definition and parameters of art. This candid biography of the de Koonings examines their contentious and enduring devotion to both art and each other.