Ruth Asawa (1926-2013) is best known as a sculptor of extreme dexterity, whose hanging biomorphic forms are woven from wire and challenge the notions of material and form. Untitled (SF.005, Undulating Parallelograms with White "3" in Lower Right Corner) (1951-1952) comes from her lesser known but equally important body of works on paper. With its repetition of parallelograms, this work exemplifies the importance of drawing in Asawa’s practice, which she saw as a daily exercise to hone her perception and concentration.

Ed Clark’s (1926-2019) use of the shaped canvas as a support and the push broom as a stand-in for a paintbrush revolutionized abstract art. Untitled (Paris Series) (1998) illustrates the lyrical forms made possible by this new method of paint application, as well as Clark’s position as one of the best colorists of his generation.

Günther Förg (1952-2013) built a prolific and multifaceted career out of exploring different theories of abstraction and experimenting with the possibilities of both unusual and mundane materials. His emphasis on formal concerns has imbued his work with a literal weight and a substantial presence that reinforces each work’s status as a physical object. Untitled (2006) is a richly-hued canvas from Förg’s series of Gitterbilder (Grid Paintings), which showcases many of his formal concerns.

Adam Pendleton (b. 1984) is a multidisciplinary artist best known for his use of abstracted language to highlight socio-political injustices, primarily those related to race. Untitled (A Victim of American Democracy), created just after the election of Donald Trump, comes from a body of works all bearing the same title, which is derived from Malcolm X’s 1964 speech “The Ballot or the Bullet.” The titular phrase is broken up and spray painted across the canvas, underscoring the current collective feeling of fragmentation.

Mark Rothko (1903-1970) has been canonized as one of the icons of twentieth century painting and a leader of Abstract Expressionism. With his innovative method of layering horizontal bands of pigment on unprimed canvas, he created a luminosity in his works that continues to evoke deep emotional responses in their viewers. Untitled (Brown and Black) (1968) highlights the darker turn Rothko’s palette took in the last years of his life, and his rich and underappreciated body of smaller works on paper.

Jack Whitten (1939-2018) is currently one of the most celebrated abstract artists of the last century. Known for developing new tools and methods of paint handling, Whitten’s technical advances impart an importance of materiality onto his work that underscores his compositions’ spiritual elements. Barney’s Legacy II (1980) showcases Whitten’s technical shifts as he entered a new decade, and his ability to distill many influences into a single, mystical work of art.