Work Frank Stella

1 work

1.1 late 1950s , 1960s
1.2 late 1960s , 1970s
1.3 1980s , afterward

work
late 1950s , 1960s

upon moving new york city, reacted against expressive use of paint painters of abstract expressionist movement, instead finding himself drawn towards flatter surfaces of barnett newman s work , target paintings of jasper johns. began produce works emphasized picture-as-object, rather picture representation of something, in physical world, or in artist s emotional world. stella married barbara rose, later well-known art critic, in 1961-1969. around time said picture flat surface paint on - nothing more . departure technique of creating painting first making sketch. many of works created using path of brush stroke, using common house paint.

this new aesthetic found expression in series of new paintings, black paintings (59) in regular bands of black paint separated thin pinstripes of unpainted canvas. die fahne hoch! (1959) 1 such painting. takes name ( raised banner in english) first line of horst-wessel-lied, anthem of national socialist german workers party, , stella pointed out in same proportions banners used organization. has been suggested title has double meaning, referring jasper johns paintings of flags. in case, emotional coolness belies contentiousness title might suggest, reflecting new direction in stella s work. stella’s art recognized innovations before twenty-five. in 1959, several of paintings included in 3 young americans @ allen memorial art museum @ oberlin college, in sixteen americans @ museum of modern art in new york (60).

from 1960 stella began produce paintings in aluminium , copper paint which, in presentation of regular lines of color separated pinstripes, similar black paintings. use wider range of colors, , first works using shaped canvases (canvases in shape other traditional rectangle or square), being in l, n, u or t-shapes. these later developed more elaborate designs, in irregular polygon series (67), example.

also in 1960s, stella began use wider range of colors, typically arranged in straight or curved lines. later began protractor series (71) of paintings, in arcs, overlapping, within square borders arranged side-by-side produce full , half circles painted in rings of concentric color. these paintings named after circular cities had visited while in middle east earlier in 1960s. irregular polygon canvases , protractor series further extended concept of shaped canvas.

late 1960s , 1970s

frank stella harran ii 1967

stella began extended engagement printmaking in mid-1960s, working first master printer kenneth tyler @ gemini g.e.l. stella produced series of prints during late 1960s starting print called quathlamba in 1968. stella s abstract prints used lithography, screenprinting, etching , offset lithography.

in 1967, designed set , costumes scramble, dance piece merce cunningham. museum of modern art in new york presented retrospective of stella’s work in 1970, making him youngest artist receive one. during following decade, stella introduced relief art, came call “maximalist” painting sculptural qualities. shaped canvases took on less regular forms in eccentric polygon series, , elements of collage introduced, pieces of canvas being pasted onto plywood, example. work became more three-dimensional point started producing large, free-standing metal pieces, which, although painted upon, might considered sculpture. after introducing wood , other materials in polish village series (73), created in high relief, began use aluminum primary support paintings. 1970s , 1980s progressed, these became more elaborate , exuberant. indeed, earlier minimalism [more] became baroque, marked curving forms, day-glo colors, , scrawled brushstrokes. similarly, prints of these decades combined various printmaking , drawing techniques. in 1973, had print studio installed in new york house. in 1976, stella commissioned bmw paint bmw 3.0 csl second installment in bmw art car project. has said of project, starting point art cars racing livery. in old days there used tradition of identifying car country color. number , advertising. it’s paint job, 1 way or another. idea mine it’s drawing on graph paper. graph paper is, graph, when it’s morphed on car’s forms becomes interesting, , adapting drawing racing car’s forms interesting. theoretically it’s painting on shaped canvas.

in 1969, stella commissioned create logo metropolitan museum of art centennial. medals incorporating design struck mark occasion.

1980s , afterward

frank stella la scienza della pigrizia (the science of laziness), 1984, oil paint, enamel paint, , alkyd paint on canvas, etched magnesium, aluminum , fiberglass, national gallery of art, washington dc



stella s memantra, 2005, metropolitan museum of art

from mid-1980s mid-1990s, stella created large body of work responded in general way herman melville’s moby-dick. during time, increasingly deep relief of stella’s paintings gave way full three-dimensionality, sculptural forms derived cones, pillars, french curves, waves, , decorative architectural elements. create these works, artist used collages or maquettes enlarged , re-created aids of assistants, industrial metal cutters, , digital technologies. la scienza della pigrizia (the science of laziness), 1984, example of stella s transition two-dimensionality three-dimensionality. fabricated oil paint, enamel paint, , alkyd paint on canvas, etched magnesium, aluminum , fiberglass.

in 1990s, stella began making free-standing sculpture public spaces , developing architectural projects. in 1993, example, created entire decorative scheme toronto’s princess of wales theatre, includes 10,000-square-foot mural. 1993 proposal kunsthalle , garden in dresden did not come fruition. in 1997, painted , oversaw installation of 5,000-square-foot stella project serves centerpiece of theater , lobby of moores opera house located @ rebecca , john j. moores school of music on campus of university of houston, in houston, tx. aluminum bandshell, inspired folding hat brazil, built in downtown miami in 2001; monumental stella sculpture installed outside national gallery of art in washington, d.c.

stella s wall-hung scarlatti k series triggered harpsichord sonatas of domenico scarlatti , writings of u.s. 20th-century harpsichord virtuoso , musicologist ralph kirkpatrick, made sonatas known. (the title s k refers kirkpatrick s chronology numbers.) scarlatti wrote more 500 keyboard sonatas; stella s series today includes 150 works.

from 1978 2005, stella owned van tassell , kearney horse auction mart building in manhattan s east village , used studio. 30-year stewardship of building resulted in facade being cleaned , restored. after six-year campaign greenwich village society historic preservation, in 2012 historic building designated new york city landmark. after 2005, stella split time between west village apartment , newburgh, new york studio.