Artists Space

Abstruction

November 6 – October 18, 2003

Abstruction presents works of contemporary abstraction that address narrativity, architecture, and craft.

Semi-translucent, white cloth material embroidered with thin black and yellow linework. A cluster of embroidered black lines gather at the top of the fabric. At their center is a group of words that have been embroidered onto the fabric. They overlap with such density that they are illegible. Small embroidered yellow circles decorate the lower half and right corner of the fabric.
[Semi-translucent, white cloth material embroidered with thin black and yellow linework. A cluster of embroidered black lines gather at the top of the fabric. At their center is a group of words that have been embroidered onto the fabric. They overlap with such density that they are illegible. Small embroidered yellow circles decorate the lower half and right corner of the fabric.]

Opening Reception
Saturday, September 6, 2003, 6 - 8.30pm

The exhibition's title references a re-emergence of abstraction as a vital, widespread language that elaborates on concepts of artistic expression rooted in constructivism. From the inseparability of content and form to an underlying optimism that art might prepare a state of mind able “to construct, coordinate and perfect” rather than “destroy, disintegrate and deteriorate” (Naum Gabo, “The Constructive Idea in Art”), constructivist ideals focused on art as a real act, as a form of expression rather than one of philosophy or knowledge.

Abstruction considers the currency of these ideals through an experience of abstraction featuring new and recent works in painting, sculpture, textile, and video.

Abstruction is curated by Eungie Joo, Gallery Director & Curator, CalArts Gallery at REDCAT, Los Angeles.

Several artworks installed in a large gallery space with white walls and wooden flooring. A television monitor rests on a low acrylic box on the floor to the room
Abstruction. Installation view, Artists Space, 2003. [Several artworks installed in a large gallery space with white walls and wooden flooring. A television monitor rests on a low acrylic box on the floor to the room's right side. A warped purple and pink image resembling a kaleidoscopic star shape is displayed on its screen. There are white columns to the left of the monitor. Hanging on a gallery wall on the image's far left side is a large piece of translucent, white cloth embroidered with amorphous red and blue linework. The far gallery wall behind the twinned columns has been painted with slanted, striped areas of peach, yellow, and ochre color.]
Corner of a gallery space with white walls and wooden flooring. Two large rectangular lengths of translucent, white cloth embroidered with amorphous red and blue linework are installed on the corner
Abstruction. Installation view, Artists Space, 2003. [Corner of a gallery space with white walls and wooden flooring. Two large rectangular lengths of translucent, white cloth embroidered with amorphous red and blue linework are installed on the corner's left and right walls.]
A large gallery space with white walls and wooden flooring. The length of a long gallery wall has been painted with amorphous areas of turquoise, yellow, red, and green color amidst vaguely cloud-like white shapes. Several rectangular canvases decorated with similar designs lean against the wall. A large blue shape resembling a bridge stretches across the wall design.
Abstruction. Installation view, Artists Space, 2003. [A large gallery space with white walls and wooden flooring. The length of a long gallery wall has been painted with amorphous areas of turquoise, yellow, red, and green color amidst vaguely cloud-like white shapes. Several rectangular canvases decorated with similar designs lean against the wall. A large blue shape resembling a bridge stretches across the wall design.]

Tsai, Eugenie. "'Abstruction.'" Time Out New York. October 9-16, 2003. Print. 64.

    An abstract image featuring monotone areas of green, red, orange, and blue color. A large green rectangle stretches across the image's center. Three red shapes resembling falling figures are arranged within the green shape. To the left of the green shape, the composition is covered with a blue checkerboard pattern. Across the top portion of the image, amorphous, pipe-like red and orange forms twist and connect on a pale green backdrop.
    [An abstract image featuring monotone areas of green, red, orange, and blue color. A large green rectangle stretches across the image's center. Three red shapes resembling falling figures are arranged within the green shape. To the left of the green shape, the composition is covered with a blue checkerboard pattern. Across the top portion of the image, amorphous, pipe-like red and orange forms twist and connect on a pale green backdrop.]