American painter Frank Stella, who rose to prominence in postwar American art, particularly through his early minimalist creations, has passed away at the age of 87, according to reports from US media on Saturday.
Stella succumbed to lymphoma at his residence in Manhattan, as reported by The New York Times.
Initially known for his sparse paintings, some deliberately devoid of visual stimulation and color, Stella’s approach stood in stark contrast to the prevailing abstract expressionism of his time.
Among his early notable works was a series of “pin stripe” paintings, characterized by precise black lines on blank canvases, which caused a sensation in the American art scene.
Recognized as a significant American artist before the age of 25, Stella sustained a prolific career spanning over six decades, as noted by AFP.
He famously resisted critics’ demands for interpretation of his art, often responding with the phrase: “What you see is what you see.”
As his career progressed, Stella delved into experimentation with color and form, occasionally producing irregularly shaped paintings adorned with geometric motifs.
In the 1970s and 1980s, Stella increasingly explored three-dimensional art, integrating materials like aluminum and fiberglass into his creations, eventually transitioning to large-scale sculptures for public installations.
The Museum of Modern Art in New York honored Stella with retrospectives of his work in 1970 and again in 1987.
