Acrílico no. 7 (Acrylic No. 7)

The work of Fanny Sanín, a Colombian artist who has lived in New York since 1971, is characterized by a unique form of geometric abstraction that combines elements from hard-edge painting—defined by large, precise fields of color—and the optical effects of perceptual art. Like her Colombian contemporaries and mentors Edgar Negret and Eduardo Villamizar, she was exposed to the international avant-garde in Colombia during the 1950s and 1960s. Sanín’s compositions convey the simultaneity of views and perceptive experiences that can be produced through simple elements of shape and color. Her paintings may be seen as analytical approaches to architectural structures and grids as well as studies of color variations. Acrílico no. 7 shows the typical symmetry of her compositions. Two mirroring, shaped corners with rising diagonal lines enclose a perfect rectangle. A sense of order and balance pervades the composition. The combination of terracotta and brown tones softens the hard lines, conveying a warmth that recalls the sunbathed wall surface of earth structures.

Text credit: Produced in collaboration with the University of Maryland Department of Art History & Archaeology and Patricia Ortega-Miranda