The early decades of the twentieth century marked a decisive break in the history of art, as painters and sculptors across Europe and the Americas challenged traditional approaches to realistic representation. Embracing expressive freedom and seeking independence from established institutions, these artists turned their focus to new social realities and the potential of purely abstract art.

In the decades that followed, artists have continued to experiment with abstraction, scale, and material, while also exploring the figure and the nature of reality. These shifts have opened new ways to question the role of art in the world, create space for personal reflection and shared experience, and engage with the complexities of life. Bringing together artists from Europe, the United States, and Latin America, the works on view here highlight the ongoing exchange of ideas, influences, and cultures across borders.

 

Featured at top right: René Magritte, The Shadows, 1966. Oil on canvas. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Norton S. Walbridge, 1976.205.