Ed Clark: Without A Doubt

A pioneer of the New York School, Ed Clark pushed the boundaries of abstraction beyond expressionism, with a focus on materiality, form and colour. This exhibition is the artist’s first ever solo presentation in the UK and follows his inclusion in the landmark touring exhibition ‘Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power 1963 – 1983’. The exhibition spans three decades of his career from the 1970s to the 1990s, providing insight into Clark’s breakthroughs in abstract painting and the shift from controlled horizontal brushstrokes to a more loose and assertive style, as displayed in his Broken Rainbow series. Ed Clark’s resolutely physical strokes create a remarkable sense of ‘drive’ and movement. As the artist explained: ‘I began to believe that the real truth is in the stroke. For me, it is large, bold strokes that do not refer distinctly to seen nature. The paint is the subject. The motions of the strokes give the work life.’