(L-R) Janice Lessman-Moss, #446 (detail), 2015, cotton and wool, 77 x 66.5, Courtesy of the artist; Gianna Commito, Nepp, 2014, casein and marble dust ground on panel, 30 x 24 in., Courtesy of the artist.
Opening Party takes place Nov. 20
In the 1960s and 70s, painters and sculptors in Cleveland, Oberlin and Kent created abstract works dependent upon hard-edged geometric forms. Guided by pre-determined systems based on logic or mathematics, they were motivated by their interests in science, psychology and technology.
A new Akron Art Museum exhibit, called NEO Geo, features recent work by artists in the surrounding region who explore the potential of geometric abstraction. A Member Preview will take place Friday, Nov. 20 at 6:30 p.m., with a free public opening from 7:30 to 9 p.m
Included in the exhibit are artists united by a shared visual vocabulary of non-representative curvilinear and rectilinear forms. These artists look to a number of rich and varied sources for insight and inspiration.
“Geometric abstraction pares art down to simple shapes, but these limits allow for an incredible amount of experimentation and innovation,” said Akron Art Museum Associate Curator Theresa Bembnister. “The artists of NEO Geo expand the genre through their use of unexpected materials and processes or through their pursuit of new meaning. I’m excited to exhibit the work of contemporary artists in our very own community.”
Artists working in the region today use a combination of pre-determined systems and intuitive responses to create the underlying geometry of their work.
Media represented include painting, printmaking, drawing, installation, sculpture, fiber and photography. Gianna Commito (Kent), Natalie Lanese (Toledo), Janice Lessman-Moss (Kent), Michelle Murphy (Cleveland), Erik Neff (Newbury), Kristina Paabus (Oberlin), Paul O’Keeffe (Cleveland Heights) and Amy Sinbondit (Cleveland Heights) are the featured artists.
NEO Geo is organized by the Akron Art Museum and supported by Myrna Berzon, Dianne and Herbert Newman, the Kenneth L. Calhoun Charitable Trust and Harris Stanton Gallery. Media sponsorship is provided by WKSU 89.7 and Western Reserve PBS.
For info, visit akronartmuseum.org.
