NEW YORK, NY.- In conjunction with the exhibition Abstract Expressionist New York, on view at The Museum of Modern Art through April 25, 2011, MoMA announces a free application for the Apple iPad, now available through the App Store. The Ab Ex NY App utilizes the technological capabilities of the iPad to foster enjoyment and understanding of major works of art from the Abstract Expressionist movement, which catapulted New York City to the center of the international art world in the 1950s and had a lasting influence on the history of modern art. The App is an informative and entertaining resource for use before or after a visit to the exhibition, or as a stand-alone guide to Abstract Expressionism through the lens of MoMA’s collection.

The Ab Ex NY App provides iPad users with an immersive mobile experience blending high-resolution imagery, audio, video, mapping, and text in a user-friendly, fluid, and social interface. Some 60 images of paintings, sculptures, drawings, and photographs are drawn from the exhibition and its related publication. Images can be seen as a group in a visual mosaic on the home screen, browsed by artist or by chronology, bookmarked, expanded in size to examine details, shared with friends via Twitter, or viewed in a slide-show format. Related text from the exhibition places the works in a larger art-historical context.

The works of art are complemented by 20 short videos, including commentary by MoMA’s Marie-Josée and Henry Kravis Chief Curator of Painting and Sculpture, Ann Temkin, who offers her insights on the movement and its major artists, such as Mark Rothko, Barnett Newman, Lee Krasner, and Jackson Pollock. Other videos show, in vivid detail, educator and independent conservator Corey D’Augustine performing hands-on demonstrations of painting techniques used by the Abstract Expressionists and explanations of relevant art terms.

To underscore the connection of the Abstract Expressionist movement to New York City, the App features an illustrated interactive map, with audio and archival images, that highlights the locations in New York City and Long Island where these artists lived, worked, exhibited, and socialized. Certain features of the App—the audio, video, and map—require access to a WiFi connection or a 3G network.

Users can also read an excerpt from, or follow links to purchase, the exhibition catalogue; buy tickets to visit the Museum; shop for related products in the MoMA Store; or join the Museum as a member. A planned update to the App this winter will add content.

The Ab Ex NY App features:

• High-resolution images of 60 works of art, drawn from the exhibition and related publication—including paintings, sculptures, photographs, and drawings—by artists from the Abstract Expressionist movement, including Jackson Pollock, Barnett Newman, Lee Krasner, and Mark Rothko

• Multiple ways to browse, view, and share works: by chronology or artist, as bookmarks, through zoom and pinch, in slide-show format, and via sharing on Twitter

• 20 short videos, including commentaries from exhibition curator Ann Temkin and handson demonstrations of painting techniques and art terms

• Interactive map of New York City and Long Island using text, audio, and archival images to explore where the Abstract Expressionist artists lived and worked

• Excerpt from the publication Abstract Expressionism at The Museum of Modern Art

• Links to purchase the publication or related retail products, to buy tickets to the Museum, and to join as a member

The Ab Ex NY App was designed and developed by the New York-based firm Deep Focus, in collaboration with a cross-departmental MoMA team of curators, graphic designers, editors, educators, and digital media producers. It joins the recently released iPhone App as part of the Museum’s ongoing commitment to reach an expanding audience for modern and contemporary art through the creation and development of useful and immersive content for a variety of digital devices.

The Ab Ex NY App is available for free from the App Store:
itms://itunes.apple.com/us/app/moma-ab-ex-ny/id398432441?mt=8