American Abstract Artists Celebrates 90 Years with Group Show at Art Cake
The exhibition “Abstract by Definition: An Index” at Art Cake in Brooklyn marks the 90th anniversary of the American Abstract Artists (AAA). Curated by Saul Ostrow, the show avoids conventional categorization by grouping works in clusters of four, emphasizing diversity over tidy formal categories. The installation allows generous wall space between groups, creating discrete encounters that encourage prolonged looking. Unlike pairings, where viewers quickly find links, these groups resist easy definition—three works may share a yellow triangle, but the fourth does not, prompting continued observation. The show includes over 80 artists, spanning generations from Dorothea Rockburne (with a 1973 folded work) to Alex Paik (2024). Media range from oil and acrylic to animation, fluorescent cathodes, blown glass, and cardboard. Ostrow’s essay frames the exhibition as generating internal dialogue rather than definitions. A panel discussion on May 9 featured Tom McGlynn, Saul Ostrow, and Sharon Butler; a video will be available on AAA’s YouTube channel. The show runs through May 30, 2026.
Key facts
- Exhibition 'Abstract by Definition: An Index' at Art Cake, Brooklyn, celebrates AAA's 90th anniversary.
- Curated by Saul Ostrow, works are grouped in clusters of four to avoid formal categorization.
- Installation provides generous wall space between groups, encouraging focused viewing.
- Over 80 artists included, from Dorothea Rockburne (1973) to Alex Paik (2024).
- Media include oil, acrylic, animation, fluorescent cathodes, blown glass, and cardboard.
- Panel discussion on May 9, 2026, with Tom McGlynn, Saul Ostrow, and Sharon Butler.
- Video of panel to be posted on American Abstract Artists' YouTube Channel.
- Exhibition runs through May 30, 2026, at Art Cake, 214 40th Street, Brooklyn, NY.
Entities
Artists
- Saul Ostrow
- Dorothea Rockburne
- Alex Paik
- Don Porcaro
- Vera Vasek
- Rob de Oude
- Mark Williams
- Daniel G. Hill
- Joanne Freeman
- Phillis Ideal
- Erick Johnson
- Julian Jackson
- Joanne Mattera
- Alice Adams
- Judith Murray
- Liz Ainslie
- Emily Berger
- Marvin Brown
- Pinkney Herbert
- Matthew Deleget
- Edward Shalala
- Cordy Ryman
- Melissa Staiger
- Karen Schifano
- Li Trincere
- Susan Smith
- Merrill Wagner
- Jason Stopa
- Stephen Westfall
- Kim Uchiyama
- Beth Dary
- Thornton Willis
- Gary Golkin
- Patricia Zarate
- Don Voisine
- Jeffrey Bishop
- Laurie Fendrich
- Sharon Butler
- Steven Alexander
- Susan Bonfils
- Iona Kleinhaut
- Power Boothe
- James Gross
- Mary Schiliro
- Russell Maltz
- Gabriele Evertz
- Sharon Brant
- Sarah McDougald Kohn
- Marcy Rosenblat
- Megan Olson
- Corey Postiglione
- Lisa E. Nanni
- Audrey Stone
- Lucio Pozzi
- Lorenza Sannai
- Debra Ramsay
- Tamar Zinn
- Ce Roser
- David Row
- Anne Russinof
- Claire Seidl
- Jane Logemann
- Creighton Michael
- Stephen Maine
- Tom McGlynn
- Gilbert Hsiao
- Marthe Keller
- Rhia Hurt
- Cecily Kahn
- Cris Gianakos
- Nancy Manter
- Lynne Harlow
- Sonita Singwi
- Carl E. Hazlewood
- Nola Zirin
- Mara Held
- Jim Osman
- Jacob Cartwright
- John T. Phillips
- James O. Clark
- Gail Gregg
- David Reed
- Eve Aschheim
- Leslie Roberts
- Irene Rousseau
- KC Crow Maddux
Institutions
- American Abstract Artists (AAA)
- Art Cake
- Brooklyn Rail
- BOMB Magazine
- Two Coats of Paint
- Pratt Institute
Locations
- Brooklyn
- New York
- United States
- 214 40th Street, Brooklyn, NY