Object Details
- Artist
- Kenneth Noland, born Asheville, NC 1924-died Port Clyde, ME 2010
- Gallery Label
- Split is one of the concentric circle paintings that gained Noland widespread acclaim in the late 1950s. Their centered format was a significant break from the all-over compositions of abstract expressionists like Jackson Pollock. Energy seems to radiate from the canvas, as if its colored rings were spinning in motion and counter-motion. Noland described his painting method as "one-shot"-- since working on unprimed canvas allowed no opportunity to alter the paint once applied. Noland built Split from the middle outward, choosing each successive hue to create dynamic optical effects. A central core of solid blue is set within a white square that contrasts boldly with the surrounding black. The jagged, stained edges of the outer blue and red rings evoke the pulsating energy of the sun, as the circle motif itself raises associations with the cosmos and infinity.
- Credit Line
- Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift from the Vincent Melzac Collection
- 1959
- Object number
- 1980.6.2
- Restrictions & Rights
- Usage conditions apply
- Type
- Painting
- Medium
- acrylic on canvas
- Dimensions
- 94 x 94 1/4 in. (237.8 x 238.5 cm.)
- See more items in
- Smithsonian American Art Museum Collection
- Department
- Painting and Sculpture
- Smithsonian American Art Museum
- Topic
- Abstract\geometric
- Record ID
- saam_1980.6.2
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/vk79948ec9e-b081-40e0-ab6a-d4595d24c269
