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George Ortman American (Oakland, Ca., 1926) untitled 1982.001.053

George Ortman
American (Oakland, Ca., 1926)
untitled
1982.001.053

Reacting against expressionism and gestural painting but not against abstraction, George Ortman pursues essential mysteries by means of geometric symbolism. His work occupies a unique niche in 20th century American art after AbEx and before minimalism or Op (optical) abstract styles. While Robert Indiana declares “eternal hexagon” within his mandala form, Ortman uses a vocabulary of symmetrical universal forms -- squares, circles, crosses, equilateral triangles and the primary colors yellow, red, blue -- to create contemplative objects. His work is constructed or pieced together like a quilt or layered like pieces on a game board. This print uses the reverse of his additive process by cutting out forms. The absent crosses don’t disappear; instead, their shadows borrow dimension from the space behind the picture plane.

http://www.memphis.edu/amum/exhibitions/george.ortman.untitled.silkscreen.php

Filename
Hot Cold Cool66.jpg
Copyright
AMUM Art Museum University Memphis
Image Size
1169x1200 / 1,014.4KB
Contained in galleries
Hot Cold Cool (Installation Images)
George Ortman<br /> American (Oakland, Ca., 1926)<br /> untitled<br /> 1982.001.053<br /> <br /> Reacting against expressionism and gestural painting but not against abstraction, George Ortman pursues essential mysteries by means of geometric symbolism. His work occupies a unique niche in 20th century American art after AbEx and before minimalism or Op (optical) abstract styles. While Robert Indiana declares “eternal hexagon” within his mandala form, Ortman uses a vocabulary of symmetrical universal forms -- squares, circles, crosses, equilateral triangles and the primary colors yellow, red, blue -- to create contemplative objects. His work is constructed or pieced together like a quilt or layered like pieces on a game board. This print uses the reverse of his additive process by cutting out forms. The absent crosses don’t disappear; instead, their shadows borrow dimension from the space behind the picture plane.<br /> <br /> http://www.memphis.edu/amum/exhibitions/george.ortman.untitled.silkscreen.php
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