Alan Shields' Maze Installation Transforms Greenberg Van Doren Gallery into Immersive Color Field Experience

The Greenberg Van Doren Gallery in New York City showcased Alan Shields: Maze from November 7 to December 21, 2012. This exhibition featured the installation Maze (1981-82), where attendees navigated through pathways formed by paintings on wooden frames linked by cotton belting, resulting in an immersive experience. Alan Shields, who passed away in 2005, incorporated motifs from Color Field painting into decorative hangings, having learned sewing from his family. The opening night featured a performance by Stephen Petronio titled "Into The Maze," accompanied by music from Tom Laurie inspired by a melody created by Shields. Unlike traditional exhibitions, this installation encouraged physical interaction, in contrast to Galerie Lelong Chelsea's Hélio Oiticica: Penetrables. Shields sought to construct architecture within architecture, turning Color Field paintings into walls of a maze.