David Novros's 'Portable Murals' Exhibition at Paula Cooper Gallery

David Novros's exhibition at Paula Cooper Gallery features intricate multipart paintings he calls 'portable murals.' These works consist of horizontal and inverted L-shaped panels arranged with measured intervals, making the wall integral to the experience rather than just a backdrop. Novros's approach diverges from shaped painters like Frank Stella and Kenneth Noland by emphasizing the wall's role. The 2024 piece 'Untitled' comprises 20 panels forming three dark horizontal bars with lighter L-shapes, while the 2025 work uses 37 panels with a palette of five colors in a facade-like structure. Shadows, tonal changes, and underpainting reveal themselves as viewers move, creating a kinesthetic experience influenced by Novros's 2008 visit to the Alhambra in Granada. The show includes watercolors that emit a soft glow and runs through April 25 at 534 West 21st Street in Chelsea, Manhattan. Novros's sensitivity to light and time aligns him with artists like Robert Ryman and Suzan Frecon.