Abstraction: Aspects of Contemporary Art

In recent years, there has been a resurgence of abstraction. Abstract art, which first emerged as an avant-garde style in the early 20th century, and American abstract art, which was championed by postwar art critics, served as important precedents and key movements in art history. Today, abstraction is once again a subject of interest in the West.

The so-called "death" of painting around 1970 was later followed by the birth of a new type of painting, and in the '80s, artistic practice was liberated from a progressive view of history, leading to a more flexible relationship with artistic heritage. Since the '80s, abstract art has not only referred to existing abstract works but also a wide range of concepts and techniques from the past. This has created something that is more versatile, varied, and expansive. It has also dispensed with the absolute quality of early abstraction, and as modernist dogma has now been surmounted, it has given rise to a new abstract art.

This exhibition focuses on American and European abstract art from the last approximately 40 years, beginning in the '80s. It presents a host of unique and attractive works, including both paintings and sculptures, and also encompasses works by historically important artists whose careers predate the '80s.

Artists
Ellsworth Kelly (1923-2015）
Raoul De Keyser (1930-2012）
Daan Van Golden (1936-2017）
Franz West (1947-2012）
John Armleder（1948-）
Günther Förg (1952-2013）
Michael Krebber (1954-）
Christopher Wool (1955-）
Heimo Zobernig (1958-）
Ugo Rondinone (1964-）
Tomma Abts (1967-）
Sterling Ruby (1972-）
Richard Aldrich (1975-)