Exhibition Highlights

Sewell (Si) Sillman (1924–1992), a pivotal figure in the exhibition, was an American painter, educator, and print publisher. After serving in World War II, Sillman studied under Josef Albers at Black Mountain College, immersing himself in color theory and structural composition. His works, such as Untitled Landscape (1948) and 109 Acrobats (n.d.), showcase his meticulous attention to form and hue, reflecting a commitment to color’s interplay with structure. Sillman’s dedication continued at Yale University, where he earned a BFA in 1951 and an MFA in 1953, later joining the faculty to inspire future generations. In 1956, Sillman organized an exhibition of Albers’ work for Yale’s new art gallery, fostering a partnership with Norman Ives. Together, they founded the publishing firm Ives-Sillman in 1962, later publishing Albers’ Interaction of Color, a seminal text in color theory. In a significant 2025 gift to the museum from Bill Turner, viewshed showcases a selection of Sillman’s works that exemplify his nuanced exploration of color theory and abstraction.

The exhibition also features works by other notable artists, including M.C. Richards, W.P. (Pete) Jennerjahn, Jo Sandman, Ilya Bolotowsky, Leo Krikorian, Roberta Blair, Jorge Fick, Emerson Woelffer, Hazel Larsen Archer, Aaron Siskind, Harry Callahan, Margaret Balzer Cantieni, Josef Albers, Cora Kelley Ward, Ruth Asawa, Sara VanDerBeek, Xanti Schawinsky, Frank Hursh, Kenneth Snelson, Robert Rauschenberg, Richard Anuszkiewicz, Andy Gambrell, Will Henry Stevens, Elizabeth (Betty) Schmitt Jennerjahn, and Matt Magee.

Richard Garet is an artist who bridges the realms of sound and visual art, creating immersive experiences that challenge sensory perceptions. His Perceptual Series (2019) offers a moving image installation that manipulates light and sound to blur the boundaries between auditory and visual experiences. His installation SONOCHROME extends this exploration, positioning minimalist aesthetics within a framework of algorithmic creativity. Vertical white lines emerge and dissolve on black surfaces, forming rhythmic visual patterns that evoke the early black paintings of Frank Stella, while engaging with Fluxus-inspired sound experimentation. A four-minute video loop amplifies this interplay, creating an immersive audiovisual space that examines the relationship between mechanization, abstraction, and perception. Rooted in systems aesthetics, SONOCHROME operates as a self-contained system, suggesting infinite perceptual possibilities. In 2025, Garet’s work Before Me, which premiered at MoMA’s first major exhibition of sound art in 2013, was added to the permanent collection of MoMA’s Department of Media. Also in 2025, his piece Perceptual: Sonic Landscape, Midnight Blink was acquired by the Pérez Art Museum Miami for its permanent collection.

Jennie MaryTai Liu is a multidisciplinary artist working across performance, video, and writing. Her 2022 work Interstate exemplifies her exploration of movement and temporality, blending video and live performance into a layered, cinematic experience. Created in collaboration with Bang on a Can and Big Dance Theater, Interstate was co-directed and choreographed with Annie-B Parson and features music by David Lang. The work reflects Liu’s interest in how bodies navigate space, memory, and shifting landscapes, drawing on experimental theater, dance, and visual art traditions. Liu’s practice extends beyond performance, embracing curation, education, and research, such as her 2022 project Knees, Schools, Urges, which investigated overlooked dance histories through performance and archival materials. Liu’s ongoing work, including a film series currently in development in her ancestral village, fosters a dynamic exchange between past and present, performer and audience, form and chance.

Deanna Sirlin is a renowned American abstract artist known for her vibrant use of color and large-scale installations. Her 2020–2021 work STRATA, exhibited at the Fundação Eugénio de Almeida in Évora, Portugal, featured layered translucent materials interacting with light to create dynamic visual experiences. This work exemplifies Sirlin’s innovative approach to engaging audiences through immersive environments, inviting reflection on the fluidity of form and color. Beyond STRATA, Sirlin has presented 22 large-scale projects globally, including Retracings at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta. Her 2022 series Wavelength explored her relationship to color and gesture in the painting process. Sirlin is also the author of She’s Got What It Takes, profiling influential female artists who have inspired her career.

Susie Taylor, a contemporary textile artist, merges traditional weaving techniques with modern aesthetics, transforming fiber into a conceptual medium. Her 2017 work Untitled (BW Stripes X) from the Origami Series exemplifies her fusion of line, structure, and form, while Dot Square from her 2024 Swatch Series showcases her exploration of exaggerated weave structures as a metaphor for fragmented experiences and the search for connection. In 2025, Taylor debuts a new piece, Persona, from her Humble Abode jacquard weaving series, which expands the language of textile abstraction by combining loom-controlled structures with minimalist compositions.