Gloria Klein
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Gloria Klein
small artworks a selection of paintings and works on paper
Friday, December 25, 2020 - Monday, January 25, 2021
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Gloria Klein
Systemic Pattern Painting: Artists of The Criss-Cross Cooperative featuring Charles DiJulio, Dean Fleming, Richard Kallweit, Gloria Klein, Marilyn Nelson, Clark Richert, Dee Shapiro, Robert Swain, George Woodman, Mario Yrisarry
Sunday, September 9, 2018 - Saturday, October 13, 2018
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Gloria Klein
Gloria Klein, Dee Shapiro and Mario Yrisarry and will be moderated by Anne Swartz, Professor of Art History, Savannah College of Art and Design
Saturday, September 22, 2018 - Saturday, September 22, 2018
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Gloria Klein
Summer Break, Art Selections, Part I
Sunday, July 8, 2018 - Monday, September 3, 2018
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Gloria Klein
Gloria Klein: Pattern Painting 1975 - 1983
Monday, September 4, 2017 - Saturday, October 7, 2017
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Bio
New York-based artist Gloria Klein was an early member of the Pattern and Decoration movement in the 1970s. She was an active participant in the artist’s co-operative Criss-Cross, which was co-founded by Clark Richert and included George Woodman, Marilyn Nelson, Dee Shapiro and Robert Swain, among others. Her work was frequently featured in their avant-garde publication, Criss-Cross Art Communications. Klein’s rigorous and colorful geometric abstract paintings are based on her own mathematical system for dividing and organizing her canvases and systematically distributing colors to create stunning and detailed compositions.
Klein, a systemic painter, used this process to experiment with her palettes and compositions, creating intricate patters that range from completely chaotic to highly structured with geometric grids and every variation in between. Her interest in mark making began with the hatch mark, varying in length and slight shifts in the angle, these slender hard-edged elements were core to her paintings and intricate drawings. Like the stitch in sewing, a single stitch only makes one mark, but collectively, hundreds and thousands of them create intricate patterns and complex compositions. Over time, the hatch mark was combined with small squares to create more complex layers of marks and patterns, then to compositions of just squares. Each motif and composition was made unique with striking color palettes and juxtapositions that created delicate and multi-layered patterns and novel hues.
Gallery Statement / Profile
NY, NY:
I grew up in Brownsville, in Brooklyn. I now live in Chinatown. Lower East Side. I wanted to be a teacher growing up—and I became one.
Matching paint to paper:
My father was a general contractor and sometimes he needed to match paint to wallpaper. He said he was color blind and asked me to help him match the paint to the paper. I think as a result of that experience I preferred working with color as the subject matter. Instead of painting like an action painter or an abstract expressionist, I looked for ways to organize paint on the canvas/paper. I did collages that resembled Rothko.
Color distribution games:
After trying different papers, graph paper was the kind of paper that freed me. I created games to distribute color. The game I finally chose was to use factors of the width of the canvas, i.e., if the canvas was 60 inches wide, I would use factors of 2 (2 x 30 = 60), 3(3 x 20 = 60), 4 (4 x 15 = 60), 5 x 12, 6 x 10. For example, if the process of distributing the colors began with red, I would start marking off an area 10 inches from the left side with masking tape. That’d be step one. Step two would be: 30 inches across I would tape the second vertical line, then the horizontal line ten inches from the top, then 30 inches below the first horizontal line. It’s quite the complicated and tedious process.
Hard colors:
I enjoyed color field painting. Mostly paintings that are colorful. Hard-edge geometric paintings.
Peace, strength, harmony:
I have only my most recent work with me now. They are about color but no systems. They give me peace, strength, and harmony.
More fun with colors:
I like all colors. And I greatly enjoy mixing colors. And systemic painting, to me, means having a method to plot color. And I think that people like abstract work because they like the beauty that colors can make.
And Op Art?:
A clash of colors.
Hard-edge?:
Cleanliness.
Non-objective painting?:
Freedom.
CV/BIO
Education:
M.A. (Art) June 1973: Hunter College, City University of New York
B.A. (Economics) June 1959: Brooklyn College, City University of New York
Professional Studies:
Hunter College, 1970 – 1972
Evsa Model, 1969 – 1970
Art Students League, 1962 & 1968
Brooklyn Museum School of Art, 1959 – 1960
Solo Exhibitions:
2019: Gloria Klein, On Paper, Kustera Projects, Brooklyn, NY, (Feb 14 – April 20)
2018: Systemic Pattern Painting: Artist of the Criss-Cross Cooperative, David Richard Gallery,
New York, NY (Sept 9 – Oct 13)
2017: Gloria Klein: Pattern Painting 1975-1983, David Richard Gallery, Santa Fe , NM
(Sept 4 – Oct 7)
2003: ColorGeo Matrix,
2003: “Gloria Klein: Patterns on Paper,” Gallery 128, New York, NY (Nov. 5 – 29)
2001: “Paradise Found: Gloria Klein Drawings,” Gallery 128, New York, NY (April 25
– May 19)
2000: “Structural Madness: Gloria Klein Paintings and Drawings,” Gallery 128, New
York, NY (Oct. 4 – 28)
1986: “Gloria Klein,” Hudson Gallery, New York, NY
1985: “Gloria Klein Exhibit,” Center for Architecture, NY Institute of Technology, Old
Westbury, NY
1982: “Gloria Klein,” The Kendall Gallery, New York, NY (Dec. 16 – 29)
1979: “Gloria Klein: Pattern Paintings,” Josef Gallery, New York, NY (Nov. 13 – 24)
1975: “Ten Downtown Series,” New York, NY
1972: "Artists of the Region," East Hampton, NY
Group Exhibitions:
2010: “Geometric Themes & Variations,” Gallery 128, New York, NY (March 17 –
April 10)
2009: “Geometrics II,” Gallery 128, New York, NY (March 18 – April 18)
2007: "Geometrics," Gallery 128, New York, NY
2005: “The Halpert Biennial Exhibition,” Catherine J. Smith Gallery, Appalachian State
University, Boone, NC (June 6 – Sept. 16)
“New Directions ’05,” The Barrett Art Center, Poughkeepsie, NY (Oct. 22 – Nov.
19)
2002: “New Work/New Year,” Gallery 128, New York, NY (Jan. 4 – 31)
“Three on a Match,” Gallery 128, New York, NY (May 1 – 25)
2001: "Benefit for RAWA," Gallery 128, New York, NY
2000: “Fast Forward,” Gallery 128, New York, NY (Jan. 5 – 30)
“Local Papers,” Williamsburg Art and Historical Center, Brooklyn, NY (Feb. 5 –
27)
“Pieces 4,” Gallery 128, New York, NY (June 7 – July 29)
“Galaxy 128,” Gallery 128, New York, NY (Dec. 19, 2000 – Jan. 14, 2001)
"To each her/his own," Gallery 128, New York, NY
"Generation II Artists," A.I.R, New York, NY
1999: “Past to Present,” Gallery 128, New York, NY
“Universal Communicative,” Gallery 128, New York, NY
“Pieces 3,” Gallery 128, New York, NY (July 14 – Aug. 7)
1998: “50:50,” Gallery 128, New York, NY (March 4 – April 4)
“Freak of Nature,” Gallery 128, New York, NY (June 11 – July 2)
“Pieces 2,” Gallery 128, New York, NY (July 8 – 31)
“Local Color,” Henry Street Settlement, New York, NY (Oct. 16 – Nov. 22)
“The mind is its own place,” Gallery 128, New York, NY (Dec. 4, 1998 – Jan. 3,
1999)
1997: “Material Girls: Gender, Process, and Abstract Art Since 1970,” Gallery 128, New York, NY
(Oct. 1 – Nov. 1)
“Generation,” A.I.R., New York, NY (Oct. 21 – Nov. 15)
“N.Y. X Japan,” Gallery Guute, Hiroshima and Gallery Marya, Osaka, Japan
(Aug. 7 – 28)
“Pieces,” Gallery 128, New York, NY (July 1 – 31)
1996: “Group Exhibition,” Gallery 128, New York, NY (Jan. 19 – Feb. 17)
“Kakejiku: Scrolling in New York,” Gallery Kawafune, Tokyo, Japan (Jan. 22 –
Feb. 3)
“Women Draw,” Gallery 128, New York, NY (April 24 – May 25)
“Friends,” Gallery 128, New York, NY (Dec. 1 – 21)
1995: “Kakejiku: Scrolling in New York,” Gallery 128, New York, NY (May 5 – June
1995)
1994: “Group Exhibition,” Gallery 128, New York, NY (May 11 – 28)
“Measure for Measure,” Gallery 128, New York, NY (July 9 – 30)
”Signing,” Gallery 128, New York, NY (Jan. 15 – Feb. 19)
1993: “Over 100 Artists…,” Gallery 128, New York, NY (Dec. 1, 1993 – Jan. 8, 1994)
1989: “N.Y. Kendall Gallery Art Show,” Kobe, Japan
1988: “The Summer Exhibition 1988: Twenty-Two Artists,” Michael Walls Gallery,
New York, NY (Aug. 10 – 27)
1986: “Frames of Reference: Contemporary Abstract Painting & Sculpture,” Todd Capp
Gallery, New York, NY (April 18 – May 4)
“New Paintings by Gloria Klein, Beatrice Riese, and Adrianne Wortzel,” Hudson Gallery, New
York, NY (May 9 – June 7)
1984: “Paintings & Paintings,” Andre Zarre Gallery, New York, NY (June 15 – July 15)
“Group Exhibition,” Edward Williams College, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Hackensack, NJ
1983: “Systemic Art – Three Painters & One Sculptor,” Westchester Community College, Valhalla,
NY (March 2 – 28)
1982: “The New Wave Splash,” White Plains Public Library, White Plains, NY ( )
“The Criss-Cross Group,” Alain Bilhaud Gallery, New York, NY ( )
“Heresies 3rd Annual Art Benefit,” Frank Marino Gallery, New York, NY (Sept. 21 – 25)
1981: “Criss-Cross Multi-Disciplinary Event,” Millennium Film Workshop, New York, NY (Feb. 22)
“Heresies 2nd Annual Art Benefit,” Grey Art Gallery, New York, NY (June 8 – 13)
“Criss-Cross Artists Exhibition.” Chautauqua Park, Boulder, CO (Aug. 2 – 23)
“Criss-Cross” Yellowstone Art Center, Billings, MT (Nov. 6 – Dec. 31)
1980: “Group Show,” Hansen Galleries, New York, NY (Feb. 1 – 29)
“Systemic Patterning,” Hansen Galleries, New York, NY (March 1 – 31)
“Third Wave,” Hibbs Gallery, New York, NY
“New York Pattern Show,” Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington, IL
1979: “Development in the Criss-Cross Group,” Alain Bilhaud Gallery, New York, NY
(Feb. 10 – Mar. 7)
“Criss-Cross Pattern Show,” 5 East 3 Street, New York, NY (April 24 – May 3)
“Gloria Klein & Buffie Johnson,” Gallery 700, Milwaukee, WI
“The Criss-Cross Pattern Project,” Boulder Arts Center, Boulder, CO (Nov. 7 –
Dec. 5)
“118 Artists,” Landmark Gallery Inc., New York, NY (Dec. 15, 1979 – Jan. 3,
1980)
1978: “A Lesbian Show,” 112 Workshop, New York, NY (Jan. 21 – Feb. 11)
“Pattern on Paper,” Gladstone/Villani Gallery, New York, NY (Oct. 14 – Nov.
11)
“Decorative Art: Recent Works,” Douglass College Art Gallery, Rutgers
University, Rutgers, NJ (Nov. 20 – Dec. 8)
“Six Painters,” Organization of Independent Artists, New York, NY
(Dec. 20, 1978 – Feb. 16, 1979)
“City Show,” Organization of Independent Artists, New York, NY
“Museum’s Choice,” Lochhaven Art Center, Orlando, FL
“Pattern Works on Paper,” Hillyer Art Gallery, Smith College, Amherst, MA
“Artists’ Books, USA,” Independent Curators, Inc., New York, NY
1977: “16th Bradley National Print & Drawing Exhibition,” Bradley University School
of Art, Peoria, IL (Feb. 25 – Mar. 20)
“Whitney Counterweight: Another Vision” New York, NY (March 12 – April 1)
“Drawing & Sculpture Show,” Sharadin Art Gallery at Kuztown State Kollege,
Kuztown, PA (May 8 – May 29)
“Ten Downtown/ Ten Years,” organized by Gloria Klein, P.S.1., Long Island
City, NY (Sept. 11 - Oct. 2)
“Ten Downtown/ Ten Years: a documentation show” organized by Gloria Klein,
112 Workshop, New York, NY (Nov. 5 – 24)
“Pattern Painting,” P.S.1., Long Island City, NY (Nov. 14 – Dec. 4)
1976: “Contemporary Reflections,” The Aldrich Museum, Ridgefield, CT
“New York Artists,” University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee, Madison, WI
1975: “Group Exhibition,” Walker Street Gallery, New York, NY (April 5 – May 15)
“Women Artists of 1975,” Hansen Galleries, New York, NY (Sept. 19 – Oct.12)
“Works on Paper – Women Artists,” The Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, NY
(Sept. 24 – Nov. 9)
“Group Show,” Hansen Galleries, New York, NY
1974: “Group Show,” Hansen Galleries, New York, NY
“Stratton Arts Festival Exhibition,” Stratton, VT (Sept. 21 – Oct. 20)
1973: “Group Show,” Hunter College, New York, NY
1971: “Artists of the Region,” East Hampton, NY
1970: “Artists of the Region,” East Hampton, NY
Reviews
Arguelles, Jose. “Ambitious Patterns Launch Arts Center.” Sunday Camera (November 11, 1979): 33.
-----. "Flower Power." Milwaukee Journal Review (May 20, 1979).
"Artists of the Region." The East Hampton Star (September 2, 1971)
Bonesteel, Michael. “Reviews: Gloria Klein & Buffie Johnson.” The New Art Examiner
(June 1979): 5.
Burk, Tara. "In Pursuit of the Unspeakable: Heresies' "Lesbian Art & Artists" Issue, 1977." Women's
Studies Quarterly 41 (Fall 2013): 63 – 78.
Caldwell, John. "Taking a Local Look at 'SoHo'." New York Times (May 23, 1982)
Chapman, Frances. "The Star of the Show-Paper: Local Paper; The Williamsburg Art and Historical
Center." Zingmagazine (Spring/Summer 2000): 233.
Colin, Barbara. “Gallery Reviews”. New York Art Journal 25-26 (1981): 47 – 48.
Cotter, Holland. "Art Guide Reviews." The New York Times (Friday, May 11, 2001).
-----. "Geometrics" The New York Times (2007).
Frank, Peter. "Guerrilla Gallerizing." Village Voice (May 7, 1979): 95.
-----. Art News (January 1979).
Kinglsey, April. "Opulent Optimism." Village Voice (November 28, 1977): 76.
Perreault, John. “Canvassing.” The SoHo Weekly News (December 13, 1979): 45.
-----. "Lesbian Art." The SoHo Weekly News (February 2, 1978): 20.
-----. "Lesbian Lessons." The SoHo News (September 10, 1980): 57.
Russel, John. “Artists in School for ’10 Downtown.’” New York Times (September 16,
1977): C5.
Saslow, J.M. “'A Lesbian Show’ Catalogs Current Art Trends.” GaysWeek (February
13, 1978): 11.
Talbot, Beverly. Ocular, Summer Quarterly (June 1, 1981).
Journals
Klein, Gloria et al. "Lesbian Art & Artists: Visual Art Portfolio." Heresies: A Feminist Publication
on Art and Politics 1.3 (Fall 1977): 77.
Klein, Gloria and Mary Ann Unger. "Interview with Gloria Klein." Criss-Cross Art Communications
6 (March 1978): 8-11.
Klein, Gloria. “The Criss-Cross Pattern Project: Gloria Klein” Criss-Cross Art Communications 10 (1979): 18.
Exhibition Catalogues
Klein, Gloria and Lawrence Alloway. 10 Downtown 10 Years. New York: MoMA PS1, 1978.
Klein, Gloria et al. Statements by Lesbian Artists. New York: 112 Workshop Inc., 1978.
Lubell, Ellen. Systemic Patterning. New York: Hansen Galleries, 1981.
Whitney, Amy. “Gloria Klein” in Decorative Art: Recent Works. New Brunswick, N.J.: Douglass
College Art Gallery at Rutgers University, 1978, 20-23.
The Brooklyn Museum and Women in the Arts Inc. Works on Paper – Women Artists. New York:
The Brooklyn Museum, 1975.
Books
Bretano, Robin and Mark Savits. 112 Workshop/112 Greene Street: History, Artists, and Artworks.
New York: NYU Press, 1981.
Hammond, Harmony. Lesbian Art in America: A Contemporary History. New York: Rizzoli, 1998.
Essays
Nadelman, Cynthia. "Between Pattern and Semaphore."
Rando, Flavi. "Structural Madness: Patterns of Love." September 6, 2000.
-----. "Color Geo-Matrix.” December - January, 2002.
Reproductions
Arettam, Joanna. Spirit Maps: Follow the Exquisite Geometry of Art and Nature Back to Your
Center. Newburyport, M.A.: Red Wheel Weiser Books, 2001.
“Century Business” Century City News (April 1, 1987):15.
"Unternehmenskultur – Motivation zum Erflog (Corporate Culture – Motivation to Suceed)." IBM
Nachrichten 40.300 (March 1990): 7-13.
Turchin Center for the Visual Arts. “The Halpert Biennial.” Boone, N.C.: Appalachian State
University, 2005.
Honors & Awards (Residencies & Scholarships)
2007: Pollock/Krasner Foundation
2005: Adolph & Esther Gottlieb Foundation
2005: Tuchin Center for Visual Arts
1988: Vermont Studio School, Johnson, VT
1975/76: International Women's Year Award
Collections:
Corporate
Amerada Hess
Beldock Levine & Hoffman LLP
Best Products
Chase Manhattan Bank, N.A.
Chemical Bank
Citibank, N.A.
Combustion Engineering Inc.
Dean Witter Reynolds
General Reinsurance Corporation
Graff-Repetti
Hackensack Hospital
Lehmann Brothers Corporation
Nissho-Iwai American Corporation
Pedus International
Prudential Insurance Company
Ragu
Refco
Rexnord
Shearman and Sterling
Swiss Reinsurance Company
Texaco
University of Texis at Austin
Private
Joanne Childs Aldeman
Carol Arbor
Myron Beldock
Mr.& Mrs. William Berley
Phyllis Birkby
David Crespin
Beva Eastman
Gillian Eddins
Mr. & Mrs. W. Hayes
Shirley Herman
Peter Frank
Mr. & Mrs. Alan Kalter
Susan Katz
Susan Kaufman
Ann Gibson Keill, M.D.
Mr. & Mrs. Bernard Klein
Michael Klein
Janet Klein
Patricia Klein
Nola Krasko
Jean Majewski
Harvey Mayes
George Mayocole
Lynn Mayocole
Kate Millet
Max Morrin
Dona Nelson
Stephanie Noland
Andrea Pedersen
Carol R. Peck
John Perreault
Mary Rocco
Mary Ann Unger
Ellen Vanden Broeck
Martha Vetter
Joan Waitkewicz, M.D.
Ronald Weinberg
Betty Woodman
News
Art in America
September 2019
Glenn Adamson
September 1, 2019
In the 1970s and '80s a bold group of American artists embraced vibrant color, ornament, and craft.
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