Conway, 1968
"What you see is what you see" - Frank Stella
Frank Stella (b. 1936, Malden, Massachusetts) is a seminal American artist known for pioneering Minimalism and geometric abstraction. Graduating from Princeton in 1958, he gained prominence in the late 1950s with his radical Black Paintings, emphasizing flatness, shape, and literal presence—captured in his famous phrase, “What you see is what you see.” Stella’s work evolved to include shaped canvases and three-dimensional reliefs that challenge traditional painting boundaries. His later pieces are notable for vibrant colors, complex patterns, and architectural forms, extending into large-scale sculptures and installations. Throughout his career, Stella has combined systematic process with innovative materials to push the limits of form, space, and color.