On January 19 1942, in New York, Piet Mondrian has his first solo show and the only one in his lifetime. He came as a refugee and fell in love with the city that he considered the symbol of future, freedom and modernity. 

This painting titled New York City I has no black lines, which referred to the past in the artist view.

His friend and supporter the collector Peggy Guggenheim invites her friend Nelly Van Doesburg to join them, which she will do. Nelly was the widow of Mondrian's friend and with Peggy they did a lot to support the abstract artists.

The art dealer Pierre Matisse, son of Henri, will include Mondrian in his group show Artists in Exile in March 1942.

Sources:

Mondrian, 2004, Grange books

Piet Mondrian and NYC, 2018, Acrylic on canvas, 40" x 30" (102 x 76 cm)