"It's remarkably difficult to find words for the
flustering magnetism of the color
abstractions by the painter Stanley Whitney," began
Peter Schjeldahl's
review of the artist's
solo exhibition at the
Studio Museum in Harlem. I couldn't agree more. I visited the exhibition just after its opening, on 17 July, and had to think long and hard about its meaning. Of course, there is the obvious
Mondrian influence - punctuated by the fact that music (specifically,
Jazz) is a source of inspiration for Whitney. But what stood out to me the most was the
vibrating color. Schjeldahl quotes Whitney as saying, "I always want to use every color in the universe, but then I have to take some out." I completely understand that feeling.
Dance the Orange is on view at the Studio Museum in Harlem until October 25, 2015.
Photos by William Sealy.
