Siri Berg's Color-Focused Retrospective at Shirley Fiterman Art Center

From November 17, 2016 to February 4, 2017, the Shirley Fiterman Art Center in New York presented "Siri Berg: In Color," a retrospective of thirty-three works by the 95-year-old abstract painter. Curator Peter Hionas selected pieces where color plays a dominant role, spanning five decades of Berg's career. The exhibition included paintings, drawings, and assemblages, with the earliest work being "Cycle of Life" from 1967. Berg, born in Stockholm, Sweden, studied at the University of Brussels' Institute of Art and Architecture and has lived in the U.S. since 1940. Her work shows influences from Bauhaus teachings and 1960s minimalism, often exploring circular forms and serial progressions. Notable pieces included "Progressions #3," "Diptych (phase 22)," "La Ronde," and "Bottom Circle," which evoke cosmic themes. Later works like "Sexy" (2001-02) used found objects such as CDs, while 2011-13 paintings emphasized pure color progressions. The exhibition also featured black-and-white works in a separate office gallery, though color remained the central focus. Berg's abstract forms achieve a virtual physicality through precise execution and chromatic intensity, as seen in "Straight Lines and Bars" (1996) and "Phase of Grace." The show highlighted her meticulous exploration of formal relationships and emotional resonance through abstraction.