Abstract Art
Beyond the Frame

From May 1, 2022

Abstract Art Beyond the Frame

By Patrick Frank

Most works of art have frames because they serve a useful purpose, separating the realm of creation from the everyday world. But the frame is also a limitation, not only on creation, but also on perception. What happens if we stretch the boundaries? The Latin American works in this exhibition transcend the frame in three ways:

First, some works are three-dimensional in themselves. Unconfined by a frame, they occupy our space, and call on us to see them from various angles. This means that they cannot be taken in all at one glance, but rather across time as we collect views and impressions in our minds.

Second, some works that hang on a wall have their full effect only when the viewer moves across the space before them. They change colors or seem to vibrate as our vantage point changes. Often this is done through moiré effects or shallow louvers on the surface that partially block zones of color from certain viewpoints.

The third way is by putting painted shapes into space in new ways. Some works are simply not rectangular, showing that they are not pictures in the traditional sense. Other works use relief elements to bleed or reflect bright color into the space immediately surrounding.

All of the works in this exhibition are geometric abstractions. They make no reference to particular cultural values, symbols, stories, or personal feelings. While this may make them seem forbidding at first, in reality the impulse behind them is utopian. Anyone from any background can apprehend what the works are trying to do. Going beyond the frame, therefore, is an exciting journey.

The Museum of Latin American Art is pleased to present Abstract Art Beyond the Frame. The works on view here come from the MOLAA Collection and through generous loans from the Duker Collection, Pasadena, California.

Participating artists: