Al Held

Al Held gained recognition as an Abstract Expressionist artist, renowned for his expansive Hard-edge paintings.

Biography of Al Held

Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1928, Al Held spent his early years in the East Bronx. Despite showing no initial interest in art until he departed from the Navy in 1947, Held's creative journey took a significant turn, influenced by his friend Nicholas Krushenick, leading him to enroll at the Art Students League of New York.

In 1951, with the support of the G.I. Bill, Held embarked on a two-year artistic exploration in Paris, studying at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière. During this period, he forged lasting friendships with artists such as Joan Mitchell and Ellsworth Kelly.

Al Held marked his artistic debut with a solo exhibition at Galerie Huit in 1952. Nevertheless, with the burgeoning popularity of the art scene in New York, Held decided to return.

His career continued to flourish, and in 1962, he joined the faculty at Yale University School of Art, where he would impart his knowledge until 1980. Recognition followed as he was elected as an Associate member of the National Academy of Design in 1988, achieving full Academician status in 1994.

Tragically, at the age of 76, Al Held was discovered deceased in the swimming pool of his villa near Camerata, Italy, on July 27, 2005. It is believed that he succumbed to natural causes.

The legacy of Al Held endures through his works, which are prominently featured in esteemed collections such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Tate Gallery in London, National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., Whitney Museum of American Art, Kunsthaus Zürich, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Guggenheim Museum, Kunstmuseum Basel, and the Art Institute of Chicago.

Al Held's Art Style

In the realm of Al Held's pigment paintings, a distinctive feature emerged in the form of thick brush strokes applied in random directions, reminiscent of Abstract Expressionism. These short, gestural strokes, often referred to as action painting, defined the early stages of his artistic expression.

As the fifties unfolded, a transformation took place in Held's approach. The once short, gestural strokes evolved into longer gestures, coalescing into geometric shapes such as triangles, circles, and rectangles. This marked a departure towards geometric abstractions that gained prominence by the end of 1959.

During the late 1950s, Held's interest in gestural painting waned, prompting him to seek alternative methods. By 1960, he successfully embraced the "hard edge" label, accompanied by a shift in medium from oil to water-based acrylic. The resulting paintings featured vivid colors arranged in geometric configurations across the canvas, resembling expansive murals.

Between 1961 and 1966, Held ventured into creating large abstract letters of the English alphabet, showcasing the versatility of his evolving style.

In 1967, needing to explore new artistic horizons, Held transitioned to black-and-white images, delving into challenging perspectives and "spatial conundrums." The flatness of previous hard edge abstractions prompted him to introduce depth and create three-dimensional shapes on the canvas.

By the late 1970s, color re-emerged in Held's paintings, bringing a renewed vibrancy to his compositions. In the 1980s, a notable shift occurred as his paintings emphasized bright geometric spaces, their depth reflecting an almost infinite expanse.

Held's modern artworks often feature large symmetric non-objective structures, characterized by vivid colors and created using acrylic medium. These compositions showcase interlocking scaffolds, demonstrating a profound consideration of architectural elements within the realm of abstract art.