Frank Stella, a resilient and determined figure in post-World War II American painting, passed away at the age of 86. Stella’s journey was marked by significant strides in the fields of minimalism and, later, maximalism. Over his sixty-plus-year career, he reimagined the possibilities of modern art, remaining authentic and steadfastly refusing to settle for formulas.
Stella, a history major from Princeton University, transferred to Phillips Academy in Andover after being born in Malden, Massachusetts, in 1936. While there, he was deeply moved by the works of the abstract expressionists and the lectures given by art historian William Seitz. His early works, notably the 1959 exhibition of “Black Paintings” at the Museum of Modern Art, catapulted him to superstardom at the young age of 23. These paintings broke the dominance of gestural abstraction in modern art with their symmetrical striped patterns and flat, monochromatic surfaces.
Stella’s style evolved significantly throughout her life. During the 1960s and 1970s, as his work took on a more sculptural quality, he began incorporating industrial materials such as aluminum and copper. The Protractor series used vibrant colors and circular shapes, in stark contrast to his previous minimalist style. This was the period when his beliefs stood in stark opposition to the minimalist idea of “less is more.” He was of the firm belief that spaces and shapes should be conveyed to the “maximal” extent in art.
By the time Stella reached her 80s and 90s, she had adopted an even more open posture. His latter works are more characterized by a sense of depth and architecture; they feature complex interplaying shapes, vivid colors, and elaborate structures. His belief that art should be experienced as a whole was evident in his later works, which typically featured public installations and massive sculptures. Stella’s work during this period appears to quote his now-famous comment, “What you see is what you see,” which suggests pure form without any embellishment or hidden meaning.
Stella was not only a talented artist, but also a very articulate and perceptive thinker. “Working Space,” a later publication of his Charles Eliot Norton Lectures given at Harvard University in 1986, continued his consistent theme throughout his body of work: the importance of visual space in bridging the gap between historical art and abstract art.
Stella is known by those in the art world for his innovative artworks as well as his philosophical remarks that he made to discussions about the purpose and nature of art. His work can be found in the collections of MoMA, Met, and Whitney, three of the most esteemed art museums in the world.
His death has shocked many in the art world, especially collectors and enthusiasts, who held him in high esteem for his relentless pursuit of fresh ideas and his dedication to pushing the boundaries of visual expression. His family and friends have commented about how much they appreciated Stella’s lifelong commitment to the arts and how he has encouraged generations to follow.
The work of Frank Stella is a time of boundless innovation because of how active and forward-thinking his career was. His guiding principle, that art is essentially about seeking novelty and pushing boundaries, will live on in the work of artists for the foreseeable future.
featured image : James McHugh
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