Bilgé's Torn Drawings Survey at Institute of Arab and Islamic Art Reveals 1970s New York Abstraction

The Institute of Arab and Islamic Art in New York's Greenwich Village presents 'Torn Time,' an intimate survey of Turkish-American artist Bilgé (Bilge Civelekoğlu Friedlaender). Focusing on works from the 1970s, created during her decades in New York, the exhibition features delicate abstract drawings where intentional tears in paper become central compositional elements. Using charcoal, pastel, and watercolor, Bilgé's pieces like 'Tide's in #4' (1975) and 'Blue Time' (1974) explore spatial relationships through subtle, monochromatic palettes and cursive lines. Her practice, developed alongside contemporaries such as Agnes Martin and Ellsworth Kelly, shares a focus on line and intimate inspection but is distinguished by a 'spatial refusal' and enigmatic quality. Bilgé exhibited at Betty Parsons Gallery and the Museum of Modern Art, yet her work remained less prominent. The exhibition includes a 1984 book work among the primarily 1970s selections. Her artworks are held in the collections of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, RISD Museum, and the Menil Collection. The show runs until October 20 on Christopher Street.