American artist Robert Mangold (born 1937) may be one of the (albeit unjustly) lesser-known painters of his generation, but with his first ever UK show set to open in London this month, we’re hoping that this master of minimalism finds a few new admirers.
Mangold’s creative zenith came somewhere in the early 1980’s, marked by his ‘X, Plus and Frame’ paintings. Filled with bold, angular shapes and blocky, full-strength colours, this series became his signature and appropriately is the focus of the Parasol Unit Gallery’s salutary exhibition.
Mangold’s architectural training - along with his time as a lecturer in sculpture at Indiana University – is palpable throughout the multi-chromatic menagerie on show. The angular, constructed sense of his paintings - built to resemble X, plus and frame forms (hence the name) - are painterly manifestations of Mangold’s boyish passion for all things scientific.
Other inspiration for the sculptural paintings is cited as everything from Ancient Greek pottery to Renaissance frescoes - the eclecticism of Mangold’s paintings is subtly disguised by his seasoned hand.
Mangold may not have achieved the same renown as some of his colossal contemporaries including Dan Flavin and Sol Le Witt, but this is in no way due to a lesser artistic vision.
ADDRESS
Parasol unit
14 Wharf Road
London N1 7RW
-
Yonder Escalante reinvents glamping in the Utah DesertYonder Escalante is the ultimate eight-hectare hospitality experience, leaving no stone (or cactus) unturned
-
Extreme Cashmere’s Los Angeles takeover is a lesson in how to host in style
Amsterdam-based label Extreme Cashmere invites Wallpaper* behind the scenes of its Los Angeles pop-up, featuring an ephemeral restaurant inspired by the team’s beloved dinner parties
-
Triennale Milano 2025 exhibition will explore global inequalities
The 24th International Exhibition of Triennale Milano, set to launch on 17 May 2025, will follow the theme of ‘Inequalities. How to mend the fractures of humanity’
