Frank Stella

Frank Stella (b. 1936) is a celebrated American painter, printmaker and sculptor who revolutionized abstract art. Born in Malden, Massachusetts, Stella studied art at Phillips Academy and history at Princeton University before moving to New York in 1958. Influenced by Jasper Johns and reacting against Abstract Expressionism, Stella developed a minimalist style characterized by flat, geometric patterns, starting with his iconic Black Paintings (1958–60). By age 23, he was featured in the Museum of Modern Art’s Sixteen Americans exhibition, cementing his early fame.

 

Stella’s work evolved from flat, austere canvases to shaped and colorful ones, including the Irregular Polygons (1965–67) and Protractor series (1967–71). In the 1970s, he introduced relief into his paintings, incorporating materials like aluminum and wood, creating sculptural “maximalist” works that blurred boundaries between painting and sculpture. By the 1980s and 1990s, his art became even more elaborate, incorporating three-dimensional forms inspired by literature, such as Herman Melville's Moby Dick.

 

Beyond painting, Stella explored set design, printmaking and large-scale public sculptures, like his mural for Toronto’s Princess of Wales Theatre and a bandshell in Miami. His work has been featured in major exhibitions, including a 1970 retrospective at MoMA, and he has received numerous accolades, including the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from France.

 

Stella remains an influential figure in contemporary art, known for his innovation, mastery of form and contributions to minimalism and beyond. He currently lives and works in New York City.