South Orange
Ralph Humphrey
American, 1932–1990
1981-82
A relief-like painting in synthetic polymer paint and modeling paste on canvas mounted on wood in which Ralph Humphrey transforms paint into a thick, tactile, windowlike object that balances color, pattern, and architectural structure.
You first notice the crusty, coral-red surfaces lodged in a dark grid, the deep relief casting strong shadows while blue polka-dotted, folded shapes seem to peel and float off the plane.
The work exemplifies late-20th-century experiments that collapsed painting and sculpture—prioritizing surface, materiality, and objecthood—and helped push abstraction toward materially assertive, relief-based works.
Medium
Synthetic polymer paint and modeling paste on canvas mounted on wood
Dimensions
57 1/8" x 6' 1 3/4" x 7" (145 x 187 x 17.8 cm)
Classification
Department
Credit
Acquired through anonymous funds, the Sumner Foundation for the Arts Fund, and purchase
Accession
207.1982
Palette
Art Terms
Exhibitions
