Gallery Talk: Kenneth Noland and His Radical Geometry

In 1964, Kenneth Noland created a series of geometric stained canvas paintings depicting rings and chevrons, which were then featured in the Venice Biennale presentation of contemporary American painting. Harvard Art Museums conservators have recently advanced understanding of how to treat these stained canvas paintings, which represent an innovative development in painting from this era. Join a conversation between a curator and a conservator about preparing Noland’s works for display in the exhibition The Solomon Collection: From Dürer to Degas and Beyond (May 24–August 17, 2025).

The Solomon Collection: Dürer to Degas and Beyond celebrates a significant recent bequest to the Harvard Art Museums from passionate collectors Arthur K. and Mariot F. Solomon. The exhibition spotlights over 135 works, including paintings, sculptures, drawings, and prints by some of the most significant artists from the Renaissance to the 20th century, and offers visitors an intimate view into the highly personal yet inherently collaborative nature of art collecting.

Led by:
Mitra Abbaspour, Houghton Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art
Ellen Davis, Associate Paintings Conservator, Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies

Please check in with museum staff at the Visitor Services desk in the Calderwood Courtyard to request to join the gallery talk. Space is limited, and talks are available on a first-come, first-served basis; no registration is required.

You may also like the following events from Harvard Art Museums:

• This Wednesday, 4th June, 12:30 pm, Gallery Talk: Edvard Munch: Technically Speaking in Cambridge
• This Thursday, 5th June, 11:00 am, Art Study Center Seminar: Experiment and Disruption in Mid-Century Argentine Art in Cambridge
• This Saturday, 7th June, 12:00 pm, Exhibition Tour: The Solomon Collection: From Dürer to Degas and Beyond in Cambridge

Also check out other Arts events in Cambridge, Fine Arts events in Cambridge, Exhibitions in Cambridge.