Ted Kurahara's Minimalist Portraits at Walter Randel Gallery Explore Grids, Color, and Spiritual Discourse

From September 19 to October 22, 2009, the Walter Randel Gallery in New York City featured an exhibition by Ted Kurahara, displaying pieces such as Cobalt Blue and Lascaux Blue (2009), a vertical diptych arranged in a pencil-outlined grid. Originally from Seattle, Kurahara previously taught at Pratt Institute before dedicating himself to painting. His artistic approach intertwines color and geometry, drawing inspiration from Kazimir Malevich and often likened to Agnes Martin. He refers to his abstract creations as 'portraits,' infusing them with a sense of humanity. Additional works include Variations Red Hues 1 (2008) and Double Indian Yellow (2008). Critic Donald Kuspit observes that the paintings evoke a 'core self,' reflecting Kurahara's Minimalist roots from the 1960s and 1970s.