New York City, NY – Frank Stella, a renowned painter, sculptor, and printmaker recognized for his groundbreaking contributions to the minimalist and post-painterly abstraction art movements, passed away at the age of 87 at his residence in Manhattan. His death was confirmed by gallery owner Jeffrey Deitch, who spoke with Stella’s family. Stella’s wife, Harriet McGurk, disclosed to the press that he had succumbed to lymphoma.
Born on May 12, 1936, in Malden, Massachusetts, Stella pursued his education at Princeton University before relocating to New York City in the late 1950s. While many American artists at the time were delving into abstract expressionism, Stella ventured into minimalism, garnering critical acclaim for his early works characterized by flat, black paintings adorned with gridlike bands and stripes using house paint and exposed canvas.
Throughout the next decade, Stella’s artistry evolved to incorporate curved lines and vibrant colors while maintaining his signature structured approach. His influential Protractor series, named after the geometry tool he utilized, showcased large-scale paintings featuring intricate curved shapes. By the late 1970s, Stella began exploring three-dimensionality in his creations, blurring the lines between painting and sculpture by incorporating metals and other mixed media.
Even in his later years, Stella remained prolific, with his latest works currently on exhibition at the Jeffrey Deitch Gallery in New York City. These colorful sculptures, characterized by massive yet seemingly weightless installations composed of shining polychromatic bands twisting and coiling through space, have captivated audiences. Describing the recent collection as “astonishing,” Deitch emphasized Stella’s lifelong dedication to redefining pictorial space and seamlessly fusing painting and sculpture.
Frank Stella’s enduring legacy in the art world is not only a testament to his boundless creativity but also a reflection of his tireless commitment to pushing artistic boundaries and redefining the intersection of painting and sculpture. His influence will continue to resonate among artists and enthusiasts alike for generations to come.