Stephen Westfall Curates 'The Material Sign' Featuring Four Artists Exploring Painting's Materiality
From June 1 to July 15, 2006, the Florence Lynch Gallery in New York showcased 'The Material Sign,' an exhibition curated by Stephen Westfall. This display included creations by Craig Fisher, Phillis Ideal, Marthe Keller, and Gwenn Thomas, all of which examined the role of materials in abstract painting. Fisher's painting, measuring 6.5 by 5.5 feet on raw cotton canvas, draws inspiration from the French Support/Surface movement and notable figures such as Pollock and de Kooning. Ideal's square works utilize poured paint, linking to Dada and Surrealism. Keller's two-part piece and curved ceramic work reflect influences from the New York School and Lucio Fontana, while Thomas's fabric collages challenge the distinctions between painting and photography, critiquing decorative post-minimal abstract styles.
Key facts
- Exhibition dates: June 1 – July 15, 2006
- Venue: Florence Lynch Gallery, 531-539 West 25th Street, New York, NY 10001
- Curator: Stephen Westfall
- Featured artists: Craig Fisher, Phillis Ideal, Marthe Keller, Gwenn Thomas
- Concept: Explores 'material sign' and 'image of the material' in abstract painting
- Craig Fisher's work references Support/Surface movement and artists like Pollock and Frankenthaler
- Phillis Ideal's process involves collaging poured paint skeins, linking to Dada and Concrete movements
- Marthe Keller uses 3D forms and vertical strokes, influenced by New York School and Fontana
Entities
Artists
- Craig Fisher
- Marthe Keller
- Phillis Ideal
- Gwenn Thomas
- Stephen Westfall
- Ferdinand de Saussure
- Jackson Pollock
- Willem de Kooning
- Morris Louis
- Helen Frankenthaler
- Max Bill
- Roy Lichtenstein
- Andy Warhol
- Lucio Fontana
- Cy Twombly
Institutions
- Florence Lynch Gallery
- artcritical
Locations
- New York
- United States
- Switzerland
- Brazil