Three New York exhibitions explore stripes in abstract painting with Noland, Linnenbrink, and Riley

Three concurrent exhibitions in New York City during November 2003 examine the stripe motif in abstract painting. Kenneth Noland presents nine new canvases at Ameringer Yohe Fine Art through November 22, revisiting his signature horizontal bands of color first developed in the late 1960s. His large-scale works, some stretching three times wider than their height, employ sumptuous colors ranging from synthetic to pastel. At Margaret Thatcher Projects, German artist Markus Linnenbrink shows epoxy resin works through November 29, including pieces like "Ladylove" (2003) with beaded surfaces and "Zimmer in the Dead Sea" (2003) with horizontal lines over collage. Jennifer Riley participates in the group exhibition "The Sentimental Favorite: abstract painting" at Triple Candie through November 23, contributing three large canvases with sparse, symmetrical compositions that reference Agnes Martin. The exhibition also features Mark Takamichi Miller's figurative action paintings. Noland's work has historically been positioned against minimalist logic, while Linnenbrink previously created a floor-to-ceiling mural at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles. Riley's subtle, flesh-toned lines create fluid, sinewy forms. The exhibitions collectively address stripes' historical significance, from medieval associations with the diabolical to contemporary appeal for reductive artists.