Frank Stella, a pioneer of Minimalism whose groundbreaking geometric abstract paintings reshaped the trajectory of modern art, passed away at 87. His wife, Harriet E. McGurk, confirmed to the New York Times that the cause of death was lymphoma.
Stella emerged in the late 1950s when, at 22, he embarked on a revolutionary exploration of painting. His iconic “Black Paintings,” characterised by spare compositions of parallel lines against stark backgrounds, challenged the prevailing conventions of Abstract Expressionism. These works imbued with a sense of foreboding and contradiction, debuted at the Museum of Modern Art in New York in 1959, marking the beginning of Stella’s ascent to artistic prominence.
Over the course of his career, which spanned more than six decades, Stella continued to push the boundaries of artistic expression, exploring new forms, sculpture, shaped canvases, colours, and concepts. His constant experimentation earned him acclaim and recognition, with retrospectives at major institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art.
Born in Malden, Massachusetts, on May 12, 1936, Stella was nurtured by his family’s creative background. After studying history at Princeton University, he relocated to New York City, where he immersed himself in the vibrant art scene of the Lower East Side.
Stella’s artistic evolution unfolded through a series of distinct phases, from the geometric precision of his early works to the exuberant complexity of his later pieces. His oeuvre encompassed various mediums, from painting and printmaking to sculpture and architectural installations.
During the 1970s and ’80s, Frank Stella departed from the confines of the flat picture plane, embarking on a journey that saw his works evolve into vibrant assemblages bursting with painted aluminium elements. These pieces, which he dubbed “maximalist paintings,” exuded a sense of exuberance and vitality, diverging sharply from the solemnity of his earlier black paintings.
Throughout his life, Stella remained a fiercely independent and innovative artist, unafraid to challenge established norms and conventions. His creativity and dedication to his craft contributed to the burgeoning NY art scene in the 1960s.
In addition to his artistic pursuits, Stella was an avid sportsman known for his passion for squash and his competitive spirit on and off the court. He was married twice, first to the esteemed art critic Barbara Rose and later to Harriet E. McGurk.
In 1970, at 34, Frank Stella became the youngest artist to receive a full-scale retrospective exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. He received a second retrospective at the same institution in 1987 — an unprecedented occurrence in the museum’s history.
Frank Stella’s legacy as a visionary abstract artist has influenced subsequent generations of artists, proving the transformative power of art in all its forms.
Photo © Jack Mitchell Courtesy Opera Gallery