Robert Mangold’s paintings, derived from the idea of geometry and asymmetry in shape and form, challenge the limits of the two-dimensional medium, beginning with his early works, which featured irregular canvases of varying sizes spray-painted in unobtrusive browns and tans. Mangold has been associated with Minimalism, however he also recalls sources from Ancient Greek pottery to Renaissance frescoes. For example, in his “Column Structure” paintings (2005-06), the artist demonstrated the evolution of his signature asymmetrical canvases into a vertical plane, evoking classical architectural elements; the delicate and muted stain contrasting the precision of his geometric shapes.
American, b. 1937, North Tonawanda, New York.