Polly Apfelbaum, Frith Street Gallery

Polly Apfelbaum’s work is based around colour, both visually and structurally. Her paintings and installations are often large scale and incorporate dozens or hundreds of colours and hues. After sketching out and mapping the paintings, the designs are then arranged on the floor or on the walls, using abstract patterns in vibrant and saturated form. Prepare to be immersed in an aesthetic experience, guided by colour.
Polly Apfelbaum biography
Polly Apfelbaum, NYC-based since 1978, is considered one of the most original contemporary artists working today. Pushing the boundaries of traditional painting forms beyond pop culture she invites the viewer to enjoy the aesthetic experience of her immersive creations.
If you’re not familiar with the Polly Apfelbaum artist style a key thing to remember is that no two installations are ever the same as she responds uniquely to each space. Even if Apfelbaum uses the same elements and the essential parts remain consistent, her sprawling configurations change over time so that each interpretation takes on new meaning in each new context. These “fallen paintings” exist somewhere in between sculpture painting and installation, and abstract and organic.
Polly Apfelbaum show, Frith Street Gallery London
For the Polly Apfelbaum gallery exhibition at Frith Street’s new space on Golden Square, the artist has created an installation made up of monochrome works on fabric. This fascinating installation is the result of Apfelbaum’s residency in Rome last year where she was captivated by the drapery and fabrics of the Reinassance and Baroque paintings. The work actually started life as a studio installation with large squares of fabric interspersed with hanging beads, a far cry from the work we now see at Frith Street. Although in its current form the installation has little resemblance to the classical paintings that inspired it, it is still true to Apfelbaum’s style – concerned with colour and how we experience it.