James Howell

First monograph on a leading American Minimalist artist whose career is undergoing critical re-evaluation Publication coincides with a major Howell retrospective exhibition at Von Bartha Basel, which will travel to venues in Germany and the UK James Howell's Series 10 paintings possess a powerful atmospheric force; they exude an ambience that appears greater and more extensive than the physical parameters of their frames. In Howell's words, they are 'studies of shifting light and shadow, without the interference of any form'. Noted for his experimental approach to color theory, Howell meticulously studied the parameters of the color grey, fascinated by its unlimited tonal possibilities. The sublime and minimal are both apparent within the gradation of light and shadow in his paintings. "Grey", he explained, "embodies passages of time, for me. It is mysterious - and I like its softness; also its simplicity, and space." Moreover, he considered his paintings to be fields of energy, as well as an investigation between the physical and metaphysical properties of grey. He always used the square as a format, which he divided into 28, 29 or 30 uniformly sized horizontal lines. Each line is stroked vertically, progressing from being lighter at the top of the work to growing gradually darker towards the bottom. The movement of light is so subtly executed that at times the effect is almost impossible to distinguish. Howell's extraordinary studies in light and color challenge us to explore the very fundamentals of perception.