The Abstractionists
Across generations, these artists challenged traditions and paved the way for pure, nonrepresentational expression.
Untitled (7/92, III) (1992) by Charline Von HeylShah Garg Foundation
Charline von Heyl's bold explorations of form
Von Heyl’s dynamic abstract paintings push boundaries with vibrant colors and unexpected compositions, redefining contemporary abstraction.
Embracing chaos and control
Her work balances spontaneity and structure, inviting viewers into a dialogue between emotion and intellect through abstract expression.
Untitled #7 (Carnival, Bahia, Brazil) (2022) by Howardena PindellShah Garg Foundation
Howardena Pindell: Pattern and texture
Pindell is known for her innovative use of texture and mixed media, merging minimalism and maximalism to create vibrant, pattern-rich abstractions.
Celebrating the movement of Brazil's carnival
This canvas uses rhythmic dots and dynamic color fields inspired by Brazilian carnival, transforming abstraction into a joyful celebration of form.
Color and culture: Brazil’s vibrant abstract legacy
FIRST NAME Milhazes blends Brazilian cultural motifs with modern abstraction, creating bright, ornate canvases that balance geometry and organic forms.
O Egoísta (1999) by Beatriz MilhazesShah Garg Foundation
Fusion of Brazilian culture and geometry in O Egoísta
Her painting layers decorative shapes and vibrant colors, merging pure abstraction with the spirit of Brazilian festivals and visual culture.
Red Tape II (1974) by Trude GuermonprezShah Garg Foundation
Weaving modernism and craft
A key figure in mid-century American fiber art, FIRST NAME Guermonprez blended Bauhaus-inspired abstraction with traditional weaving, redefining textiles as a vital art form.
Expanding abstraction's boundaries
Her innovative use of texture and pattern challenged fine art conventions, positioning weaving as a dynamic medium within the abstract modernist movement.
Marrakech Dreams (2018) by Jennifer GuidiShah Garg Foundation
A spiritual abstraction
Jennifer Guidi explores texture and color with meditative focus, often layering sand and paint to create works that blend abstraction and spirituality.
Sacred geometry in Marrakech Dreams
The painting’s tactile surface and subtle gradations invite close looking, evoking desert landscapes and sacred geometry in pure abstraction.
Flowering of a Wing (1966) by Eileen AgarShah Garg Foundation
Pioneering dreamlike abstraction
FIRST NAME Agar’s practice merges Surrealism and abstraction, transforming natural forms into imaginative, abstract compositions that challenge traditional representation.
Surreal forms in Flowering of a Wing
This work abstracts organic shapes into flowing forms and soft color transitions, blurring the line between the real and the imagined.
Untitled (White Painting 1) (ca. 1968 - 1971) by Mary GrigoriadisShah Garg Foundation
Meditations in color and space
FIRST NAME Grigoriadis was a pioneer of shaped canvas and color field painting, expanding abstraction into new spatial and formal territories.
Exploring space and light in Untitled (White Painting 1)
The painting from YEAR uses subtle tonal shifts and a minimal palette to create a contemplative space, inviting viewers into pure color experience.
Sculptural materiality
FIRST NAME Saldanha’s work redefines abstraction through her use of unconventional materials, creating sculptural forms that engage with texture and space.
Untitled by Ione SaldanhaShah Garg Foundation
Nature's abstract forms
Her bamboo construction transforms natural materials into vibrant, rhythmic forms, highlighting the sculptural potential of abstraction.
Garden, Wave and Waterfall (2000) by Sonia GechtoffShah Garg Foundation
Garden, Wave and Waterfall
This 2000 piece captures fluidity through layered brushstrokes and bold hues, evoking natural rhythms and the elemental forces of water and wind.
Sonia Gechtoff's expressive abstractions
A key figure of the Abstract Expressionist movement, Sonia Gechtoff explored dynamic brushwork and vivid colors to evoke emotional landscapes and movement in pure abstraction.
Curation and Text by Sarah Daoui. Edited by Lauren O'Neill-Butler.
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