ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Robert Ryman, Pioneering Minimalist Painter, Dies at 88

artist · 2026-04-20

Robert Ryman, the American painter celebrated for his white monochrome canvases, passed away on 12 February 2019 at age 88. His artistic career spanned over sixty years, during which he explored materials including Plexiglass, wood, and aluminum. Ryman initially took up painting while employed as a guard at New York's Museum of Modern Art. His first sale occurred in 1958 at a MoMA staff exhibition. By 1964, he was included in a group show organized by fellow MoMA employee Dan Flavin. A major retrospective featuring more than 75 works was jointly presented by Tate Gallery and MoMA in 1993, subsequently traveling to Madrid's Reina Sofia, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and Minneapolis's Walker Art Center. His work achieved significant recognition across the United States and Europe.

Key facts

  • Robert Ryman died on 12 February 2019.
  • He was 88 years old.
  • He was an American painter known for white paintings.
  • His career lasted over six decades.
  • He began painting while working as a guard at MoMA in New York.
  • His first work was sold at a 1958 MoMA staff exhibition.
  • He participated in a 1964 group exhibition organized by Dan Flavin.
  • A 1993 retrospective of over 75 works was jointly presented by Tate Gallery and MoMA.

Entities

Artists

  • Robert Ryman
  • Dan Flavin
  • Sol LeWitt

Institutions

  • Museum of Modern Art
  • Tate Gallery
  • Reina Sofia
  • San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
  • Walker Art Centre

Locations

  • New York
  • United States
  • Europe
  • Madrid
  • Spain
  • San Francisco
  • Minneapolis

Sources