Geometric exhibit colors American Art Museum

Media Credit: Courtesy of SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION RESEARCH INFORMATION SYSTEM BLEEDING HEART - Helen Frankenthaler pioneered a painting technique that later influenced other important Color Field artists such as Morris Louis. Frankenthaler's method took advantage of the properties of her unprimed canvases, allowing colors to bleed together.

Splashes of color bleed across giant canvases, greeting visitors to "Color as Field: American Painting, 1950-1975." The new exhibit, which is open Feb. 29 through May 26 at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, takes on the Color Field movement, one of the immediate heirs to Abstract Expressionism. It features works from several D.C. artists, including Kenneth Noland and Morris Louis, both of whom are considered members of the Washington Color School, whose work dominated the region in the 1960s.

Color Field pieces are defined by a focus on deep, complex, vibrating colors. Subtle shifts and interactions between hues create shrewd compositions. Color Field artists believe the art is in the process - brush strokes, pencil lines and "happy accidents" are all virtues.

Many of Noland's pieces from the beginning of this period feature concentric circles. One such piece, "Earthen Bound," is featured prominently in the exhibit. Though geometric, it is not perfect. Pieces from later in his career, like "Following Sea" and "Dark Sweet Cherry," show Noland's focus on orthogonal patterns in slightly off-kilter canvases. The titles of the pieces lead viewers to realize there is more to the paintings than math.

Several of Frank Stella's precise paintings are also displayed. "Flin Flon IV," part of a series that somewhat mimics the patterns of Celtic knots, is a highlight. Soft sherbet colors follow precise pencil lines, weaving in and out, changing subtly.

Many of Stella's pieces use fluorescent pigments, and many other artists' paintings use mediums new at the time of their conception, like acrylic paint. Experimental mediums interact well with experimental methods in these works.

Louis' translucent layering creates glowing canvases. These so-called "Veil Paintings" were heavily influenced by fellow artist Helen Frankenthaler, whose work is also featured in the exhibit. "Loam" and "Mem" work within tight color palettes, and "Floral V" explores nearly the whole rainbow. These paintings show a complex understanding of color.

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