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By Jamie Hendrix-Chupa, Exhibition Interpreter and Content Manager
SOU Theatre Class of '27
| | John Zurier, Far From Home, 2012, oil on linen, Courtesy of the artist and Peter Blum Gallery. | | |
Abstract painter John Zurier is known for his nearly monochrome paintings. While they are monochrome and minimal, his style is not by definition minimalist. Zurier places a focus on the brushstroke and how brushstrokes create texture and feeling in a piece. When you look closely, there are many details and patterns that can be found, placing his style into abstract expressionism rather than minimalism. As a part of Jason Stopa's curated show "Angel of History" at the Schneider, multiple works by Zurier are currently on view. Far From Home (2012), Untitled (Saraband) (2020-2021), and Level Distance II (2023) can be found in Treehaven Gallery here at the Schneider Museum of Art. He typically works with cool colors, reminiscent of weather and water, which evoke a sense of calm and connection. Zurier often contrasts the soft misty tone of his paintings with hard-ruled lines which are carefully marked in order to balance out the atmosphere. Level Distance II is an off-white field marked by three bold, black lines that divide the canvas and catch our attention. On the other hand, Far From Home makes use of small dashes on the side of the dark blue ocean of paint that composes the work. You can read more about John Zurier and the thought process behind his paintings in the article below written by Jason Stopa, and visit the Schneider Museum of Art to see Zurier's paintings in our show "Angel of History", which is currently on view until December 13th.
https://hyperallergic.com/687286/john-zurier-future-of-ice/
| | Jason Stopa, Origin Of, 2024, oil on canvas, Courtesy of Dimin, NY, NY. | | |
Color blocking is a technique that involves selecting contrasting colors from the color wheel and placing them adjacent to each other. This method is often used in fine art and fashion as a way of juxtaposing color types to create an interesting visual language. Color blocking is widely believed to have been created by artist Piet Mondrian, whose paintings are gridlike and make use of bold primary colors. This type of bold abstraction is reflected in Jason Stopa’s work, whose solo show "Modern Language" is currently at the Schneider until December 13th. Stopa’s work focuses on bright and bold colors, as well as symmetry and complementary hues. Symmetry and asymmetry are present in Stopa’s paintings, as he brings attention to how asymmetry can make a piece more striking. This juxtapositional effect is achieved through the use of contrasting colors like orange and blue, yellow and purple, and red and green, among many other clashing color combinations. This technique of highlighting colors with other colors is also used in the works of Bob Thompson and Henri Matisse, whose art can be seen in "Angel of History", the curated show by Jason Stopa that is currently running alongside "Modern Language". Unfortunately, Piet Mondrian's work is not a part of this show, yet we are still able to consider his influence on the work on view. Stopa has been greatly influenced by Thompson and Matisse, both for their artistic style and the statements or philosophies that are brought forth in their artwork. A lithograph of Matisse's L'Escargot (The Snail) (1958) and Bob Thompson's The Circus (1963) are both on view in "Angel of History" in the Treehaven and Heiter Galleries, respectively. As you examine Stopa's work alongside these two masterworks, consider their influence and how Stopa takes elements from each piece using color and shape to evoke an emotion or environment. Read more about Piet Mondrian and his color blocking technique at the link below, and visit the Schneider to see some of the technique in action!
https://www.riseart.com/article/2589/piet-mondrian-color-block-harmony srsltid=AfmBOooRFqDRfTU9UrVg8oH6azpvrQKvg17PW8NuhA0E-apwRYCYv3tA
| | Mark Sengbusch, Leaf Lean, 2024, aluminum, Courtesy of the permanent collection. | | |
The word “tessellation” refers to the process of covering a plane or surface with tile, laying the tile in a certain pattern without gaps or overlaps. It can also refer to a natural process, such as the hexagonal honeycomb pattern found in beehives. Repetitive patterns are often used in artwork, either as a way to describe similarity or sometimes differences. This is common in abstract art, where many symbols are used to express certain feelings. Much of the work of visual artist Mark Sengbusch uses tessellation, as he is inspired by tiles and wooden box puzzles, which make use of these mismatched and interlocking pieces. A sculpture by Sengbusch, Leaf Lean, is currently on view in the Entry Gallery at the Schneider. Leaf Lean is an aluminum puzzle of a sculpture, made up of four sections that come together precisely to form a tessellated shape. Its intersecting lines and oppositional curves put it in conversation with itself, as the viewer is able to search for where the pieces come together and where a new shape begins. Leaf Lean could likely be classified as an aperiodic or Penrose tessellation, meaning a tile style where groups of tiles of slightly different shapes create non-periodic patterns. On his website, Mark Sengbusch directly refers to mathematics and Penrose tiling specifically as an influence, so this take on Leaf Lean remains logically sound. Though Penrose tiles are not the same shape, they self-replicate, allowing the different shapes to create a repetitive pattern. Take a look at the blog post below for a brief history of tessellation in art, and visit the Entry Gallery to see Mark Sengbusch's intuitive sculpture Leaf Lean!
https://blog.artsper.com/en/a-closer-look/art-movements-en/tessellation-mathematics-method-art/
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