The Shape of Abstraction: Tracing a Visual Revolution presented by Adria Arch

Join Boston-based artist and educator Adria Arch for an engaging image-based presentation exploring the language of abstraction in art. This talk traces the evolution of abstract art in Western art history—beginning with early pioneers such as Hilma af Klint, Wassily Kandinsky, and Georgia O’Keeffe, through the explosive energy of the Abstract Expressionists like Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner, and culminating in the work of contemporary artists who continue to redefine and expand abstraction today.

This visually rich presentation will trace abstraction’s radical departure from representational traditions, examining how artists began to express emotional, spiritual, and intellectual concepts through non-objective forms, colors, and compositions. Arch will highlight pivotal moments when artists broke from convention to develop a new visual language that prioritized formal elements over literal depiction.

Special attention will be given to pioneering women abstractionists whose contributions were often overlooked in traditional art historical narratives. The lecture concludes with an exploration of how contemporary artists continue to push the boundaries of abstraction, incorporating new technologies, cultural influences, and conceptual frameworks that revitalize this enduring artistic approach.

Offered in conjunction with The Shape of Things, on view at The Cultural Center at Rocky Neck, June 5 – July 13, 2025.