By Amber Corbett
A painting traveled from San Francisco across mountains, valleys, rivers and plains to arrive at SUNY Plattsburgh. The six-foot untitled painting by Harry Cohen takes you back in time and away from the constraints of reality. It serves as a sliver of history from sixty years ago, taking place on the west coast of the country.
Let’s travel back in time to the 1950s in the San Francisco Bay Area. Art across America was notably influenced by Post-World War II. The world was seeing lots of change and evolution, and from that emerged what came to be known as the abstract expressionist movement of art. This created a new wave of artists across the country. Creating abstract art is considered conceptual, experimental and spontaneous.
Residing in the Bay Area after serving in the U.S. Army was abstract expressionist Harry Cohen. His art and life were in constant influence of each other. Taking part in various artist circles and exhibitions, Cohen was a part of many communities. Through networking and dedication, his work gained recognition in San Francisco over time. His work and life are examples of the direct relationship between abstract art and freedom of expression.
During the summer of 2025, the Plattsburgh State Art Museum was contacted by local collector and SUNY Plattsburgh alumnus Roger Conant. In addition to having attended SUNY Plattsburgh, Conant’s family owned a print shop that had a relationship with the museum for many years. Having familiarity with the museum galleries, Conant decided to donate this historic painting to SUNY Plattsburgh so it could be used in classes and appreciated by the campus community.
Conant received the Cohen painting as a gift from friends who collected artwork during the abstract expressionist movement in San Francisco. The painting was originally bought in 1969 and later moved to Westport, New York. It was there that the collectors met Conant, who was given the painting in 1990. The piece, signed by Cohen, caught the attention of many guests as they went up and down the staircase of the collector’s Westport home. Eventually, the piece found its way into a garage in Plattsburgh.
Thirty-six years later, this painting has been gifted to the Plattsburgh State Art Museum. Thanks to Conant, it will be installed as part of Plattsburgh’s “Museum Without Walls,” located in the stairwell linking the Angell College Center and Feinberg Library.
Having a piece that originated on the opposite side of the country is a special way Plattsburgh can admire the abstract expressionist movement of the rapidly evolving 1950s America. Museum Director Tonya Cribbs and Manager of Collections Kara Jefts worked closely with Conant to acquire this piece.
