Judith Murray's Abstract Evolution at Sundaram Tagore Gallery

Judith Murray's 2012 exhibition at Sundaram Tagore Gallery in New York City, running from May 10 to June 16, marked a significant shift in her abstract painting practice. The show featured works from the 1970s alongside recent large-scale canvases, highlighting her disciplined use of only four colors: red, white, beige, and black. Early paintings displayed stark, aggressive forms against dark backgrounds, with a thin stripe along the canvas edge becoming a permanent element. In newer pieces, lively patterns of short brushstrokes sweep across surfaces, reminiscent of Cézanne, while small abstract shapes in her signature colors appear scattered, evoking her earlier compositions without resembling common objects. These forms, numbering nearly a hundred across the exhibition, add an ambiguous, playful or sinister layer to otherwise stable patterns. Murray, described as an unjustly neglected American painter, has maintained a steady progression in her career, with her recent works noted for their beauty and authoritative execution. The gallery is located at 547 West 27th Street in New York City.