Larry Poons Presents New Large-Scale Paintings in Paris Exhibition

Larry Poons, an American abstract painter, is holding a solo exhibition titled 'Kentucky Cols' at the Almine Rech gallery in Paris, marking his first show in the city in nearly four decades. The exhibition, running from March 21 to May 21, 2026, features a series of large-scale works created using his signature technique of throwing acrylic paint onto monumental rolls of canvas, which are then cut into individual pieces. Born in Tokyo in 1937, Poons initially studied music before shifting to art after seeing a Barnett Newman exhibition. He gained early recognition in the 1960s for his Dot Paintings, which were included in the influential Op art show 'The Responsive Eye' at MoMA in 1965. By the late 1970s, he abandoned optical art for a more gestural approach, influenced by action painting and validated by critic Clement Greenberg. The current works, such as 'Ballroom Chassi' and 'Pat Cloud', emphasize color and materiality, aligning with the Color Field movement. The exhibition is organized in cooperation with Yares Art and highlights Poons' enduring impact on American abstraction, with his career spanning key moments in New York's art scene, including associations with figures like Jackson Pollock and Andy Warhol.