“Visible Histories” Exhibition

Morris-Warren Gallery

poster for “Visible Histories” Exhibition

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Morris-Warren Gallery presents “Visible Histories”, a group show featuring a selection of artists representing the American Abstract Artist’s Association in celebration of the organization’s 80th Anniversary. This exhibition will include work by Alice Adams, Susan Bonfils, Naomi Boretz, Mara Held, Daniel Hill, Gilbert Hsiao, Phillis Ideal, Marthe Keller, Jane Logemann, Stephen Maine, Katinka Mann, Nancy Manter, Creighton Michael, James O. Clark, Jim Osman, Lucio Pozzi, Raquel Rabinovich, David Reed, Irene Rousseau, James Seawright, Edward Shalala, Li Trincere, Kim Uchiyama, Don Voisine, Stephen Westfall, Jeanne Wilkinson, Thornton Willis, and Nola Zirin.

During a symposium at the 5th Annual American Abstract Artists Exhibition 75 years ago at the Riverside Museum, Hans Hoffman addressed all in attendance. In this speech, Hoffman said “The artists of the past copied physical life and used arms and legs and heads as means to give his work the appearance of life. The modern artist uses the elements of construction to create pictorial reality: he creates pictorial life.”

Hans Hoffman was not a member of the AAA, but from his first paintings in the late 1800s, he played a pivotal role in the development of abstract expressionism. Many of his students were among the earliest members and the artists in this exhibition also maintain this tradition of creating “pictorial life”. This show brings together works by 21th century artists that consider contemporary art’s relationship to artistic strategies, techniques and styles of the past.

Toward the end of his address, Hoffman stated, “Every creative artist works continually to penetrate the mysteries of creation.” The use of form, line, color, material, sacred geometry or light in these works continues to examine the “mysteries of creation” and present us with an opportunity (perhaps oblige us) to do the same. By maintaining a dialogue with contemporary art’s rich history of abstraction, the journey forward is forged and grounded firmly in the present.

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