Ellsworth Kelly, American, 1923–2015; "Spectrum II", 1966–67; oil on canvas; 80 in. x 22 ft. 9 in. (203.2 x 693.4 cm); Saint Louis Art Museum, Funds given by the Shoenberg Foundation, Inc. 4:1967a-m; © Ellsworth Kelly Foundation, Courtesy Matthew Marks Gallery
ST. LOUIS, SEPT. 13, 2023—Works by American artist Ellsworth Kelly will be presented in a free exhibition opening next month, timed to celebrate this year’s centennial of Kelly’s birth.
“Ellsworth Kelly” will open Oct. 20 with a public celebration from 4 pm to 7:30 pm in Sculpture Hall.
The multimedia exhibition will include a variety of Kelly’s paintings, sculptures, drawings and prints, showcasing his experimental and expansive career—and includes loans, gifts and promised gifts from local collectors, highlighting the strength of Kelly’s work in St. Louis private collections. The more than 15 works on view will cover six decades of his practice, including a range of works on paper from the museum’s collection and the well-known multipanel painting “Spectrum II” that, shown with other Kelly works, will provide fresh context for visitors.
Emily Rauh Pulitzer’s promised gifts of the shaped-canvas painting “Purple Panel” and the graphite drawing “Briar” will be on view. In addition, the exhibition highlights the 2022 gift of the monumental sculpture “Untitled” from the Ellsworth Kelly Foundation, which will be newly installed and on display on the museum’s South Terrace and can be seen through the window of the exhibition space.
Created in 1982, “Untitled” is a pivotal example of Kelly’s large-scale sculptural works. Constructed from two steel planes with curved edges that join in a central angular axis—fully 14-feet wide by 6-feet tall in size—it takes on a new shape from each point of view as it interacts with its environment, creating a complex play of light and shadows. The piece is considered the culmination of Kelly’s well-known series of “Rocker” sculptures dating back to 1959 and sums up the rigorous geometry and elegance of form for which Kelly is well known.
“Ellsworth Kelly” is curated by Simon Kelly, SLAM’s curator of modern and contemporary art. It will be on view on the South Terrace and in Gallery 258 and the Roxanne H. Frank Galleries 255 and 257 through April 7, 2024.
CONTACT: Molly Morris, 314.655.5250, molly.morris@slam.org
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Ellsworth Kelly, American, 1923–2015; "Untitled (Red)", from "The Mallarme Suite", 1992; lithograph; sheet: 29 x 21 1/2 in. (73.6 x 54.6 cm) framed: 37 1/2 x 29 1/2 x 1 3/4 in. (95.3 x 74.9 x 4.4 cm); Saint Louis Art Museum, Gift of Ellsworth Kelly in memory of Joseph Pulitzer Jr. 190:1993.4; © Ellsworth Kelly Foundation, Courtesy Matthew Marks Gallery
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Ellsworth Kelly, American, 1923–2015; "Untitled (Black)", from "The Mallarme Suite", 1992; lithograph; sheet: 29 x 21 1/2 in. (73.6 x 54.6 cm) framed: 37 1/2 x 29 1/2 x 1 3/4 in. (95.3 x 74.9 x 4.4 cm); Saint Louis Art Museum, Gift of Ellsworth Kelly in memory of Joseph Pulitzer Jr. 190:1993.3; © Ellsworth Kelly Foundation, Courtesy Matthew Marks Gallery
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Ellsworth Kelly, American, 1923–2015; "Untitled (Green)", from "The Mallarme Suite", 1992; lithograph; sheet: 29 in. × 21 1/2 in. (73.6 × 54.6 cm) framed: 37 1/2 × 29 1/2 × 1 3/4 in. (95.3 × 74.9 × 4.4 cm); Saint Louis Art Museum, Gift of Ellsworth Kelly in memory of Joseph Pulitzer Jr. 190:1993.2; © Ellsworth Kelly Foundation, Courtesy Matthew Marks Gallery
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Ellsworth Kelly, American, 1923–2015; "The Mallarme Suite", 1992; lithographs; sheet (each approximately): 29 in. × 21 1/2 in. (73.7 × 54.6 cm); Saint Louis Art Museum, Gift of Ellsworth Kelly in memory of Joseph Pulitzer Jr. 190:1993.1-.4; © Ellsworth Kelly Foundation, Courtesy Matthew Marks Gallery
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Ellsworth Kelly, American, 1923–2015; "Blue (for Leo)", from "The Leo Castelli 90th Birthday Portfolio", 1997; screenprint; 37 x 27 in.; Saint Louis Art Museum, Gift of Jean-Christophe Castelli and tribute from the Artist in honor of Leo Castelli 25:1999.2; © Ellsworth Kelly Foundation, Courtesy Matthew Marks Gallery
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Ellsworth Kelly, American, 1923–2015; "Study for White Curve I", 1973; graphite and collage on paper; 34 1/16 x 34 1/8 in. (86.5 x 86.7 cm) framed: 35 1/2 x 35 1/2 x 1 3/4 in. (90.2 x 90.2 x 4.4 cm); Saint Louis Art Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Barney A. Ebsworth 1582:1983; © Ellsworth Kelly Foundation, Courtesy Matthew Marks Gallery
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