In my view, non-objective and abstract art have a special role in describing non-Newtonian reality—a reality in which our five senses are of little use.
The rarely seen Thalassa Circled IV (1983) is currently on view at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego in La Jolla. The exhibition features 22 distinguished works from the Strauss family collection by Held along with Mickalene Thomas, Beatriz Milhazes, Julian Schnabel, and other contemporary masters.
Since the Art Students League was founded in New York City in 1875, a "who’s who" of artists have honed their craft and joined an international community in its studios and classes. To mark its 150th year, the League is organizing a full twelve months of celebrations, including the major exhibition Shaping American Art, featuring nearly 100 artists, including Al Held, who learned to draw and paint there in the late 1940s and early 50s. Held's boldly geometric painting Trinity (1998) joins the discussion among former classmates Donald Judd, Knox Martin, and Robert Rauschenberg. Other notable artists in the show include Louise Bourgeois, Georgia O’Keeffe, Norman Rockwell, Ben Shahn, and Charles White. This exhibition is co-curated by Esther V. Moerdler and Ksenia Nouril.
We are delighted to present the fifth iteration of On the Grounds in partnership with River Valley Arts Collective. This annual exhibition features sculpture installed in the landscape surrounding Held’s studio complex. The presentation this year is conceived of as three distinct projects.
Lauren Anderson, Setup, curated by Marisa Espe →