Large-scale Abstracts at Hardy

The Hardy Gallery presents its fourth and final exhibit of the season, Surfaces – a show devoted to large-scale contemporary abstract painting. The exhibit will be on view now through Oct. 14.

Abstract painting is a broad category for non-figurative artworks that focus on line, form and color, elements that can be considered the principal building blocks of abstract art since the beginning of the 20th century. This exhibit features five Midwest artists who approach abstract painting through a variety of different methods. From strong gestural brushstrokes to hard-edged abstraction, minimalism and open compositions with broad washes of color, the exhibit aims to survey how abstract painting evolved from the post-WWII era, when Abstract Expressionism was considered the most dominant artistic movement of its time.

As abstract painting continues to make a comeback, artists remain greatly influenced by their own shifting environment and daily rituals that often reflect advancements made in society. This exhibit features a selection of cross-generational artists who reference present-day materials sampled from the internet, popular culture, nature and technology to make their large-scale works.

Exhibiting artists include: Tom Berenz (Milwaukee), Shar Coulson (Chicago), Emmett Johns (Door County), Margaret Lockwood (Door County) and Shane Walsh (Milwaukee). For more information visit thehardy.org.