Contemporary Art Shows In May 2024 For Minimalist Art Lovers

May has some wonderful shows in store for lovers of minimalist art. Until May 10, Søren Sejr’s latest colorful works can be seen at the Jacob Bjorn Gallery in Aarhus. In Berlin, Galerie Max Hetzler is presenting works by the renowned painter Sean Scully. In Menorca, Hauser & Wirth is honoring the sculptor Eduardo Chillida on the occasion of his 100th birthday with an extensive show that reflects his deep connection to the island.

In Knokke, the first solo exhibition of German artist David Ostrowski can be seen with Galerie De Brock. And Pace is presenting two exciting exhibitions this month: In New York, the gallery is showing the first major US exhibition by artist Huong Dodinh and in Los Angeles, an inspiring juxtaposition of the two exceptional artists Alicja Kwade and Agnes Martin can be seen.

These are my favorites for this month. If you want to explore all shows, click here.

Søren Sejr: I Call This Color
Aarhus, Jacob Bjorn Gallery

Until May 10, Jacob Bjorn Gallery in Aarhus is presenting a solo exhibition of Danish artist Søren Sejr. This exhibition marks a significant reformation as Sejr returns to a vivid color palette after a five-year exploration within the monochromatic field.

Furthermore, this event will mark the debut of the Jacob Bjorn Gallery Showroom, here the exhibition will stretch beyond the bounds of the gallery space and extend its reach into the showroom.

More Information: https://www.aesence.com/exhibition/soren-sejr-i-call-this-color/

Søren Sejr, The Grey Silver Fox, 2024, Acrylic, oil and oilstick on canvas, Oak frame, 120 x 85 cm © The Artist, Image Courtesy Jacob Bjorn Gallery, Photography by Jacob Friis-Holm Nielsen
Søren Sejr, The Grey Silver Fox, 2024, Acrylic, oil and oilstick on canvas, Oak frame, 120 x 85 cm © The Artist, Image Courtesy Jacob Bjorn Gallery, Photography by Jacob Friis-Holm Nielsen
Søren Sejr, Four Squares, Red and Green Hat, 2024, Acrylic, oil and oilstick on canvas, 160 x 115 cm © The Artist, Image Courtesy Jacob Bjorn Gallery, Photography by Jacob Friis-Holm Nielsen
Søren Sejr, Four Squares, Red and Green Hat, 2024, Acrylic, oil and oilstick on canvas, 160 x 115 cm © The Artist, Image Courtesy Jacob Bjorn Gallery, Photography by Jacob Friis-Holm Nielsen

Eduardo Chillida
Menorca, Hauser & Wirth

Hauser & Wirth in Menorca presents the exhibition “Chillida in Menorca” and honors the famous Spanish sculptor Eduardo Chillida and his intense connection to the island. On the occasion of his 100th birthday, the show presents over 60 works, including sculptures and works on paper, created between 1949 and 2000 during his time in Menorca. The works reflect Chillida’s exploration of space, form and material, as well as his experiments with chamotte clay and the play of positive and negative spaces.

More Information: https://www.aesence.com/exhibition/eduardo-chillida-chillida-in-menorca/


Sean Scully “Dark Yet”
Berlin, Galerie Max Hetzler

Galerie Max Hetzler presents “Dark Yet”, a show with new works by Sean Scully, one of the leading painters of his generation. Over the past five decades, Scully has developed his unique approach to contemporary abstraction, combining personal experience with European tradition and American abstraction.

The exhibition includes new paintings, drawings and aquatints from Scully’s well-known series “Wall of Light” and “Landlines”. In addition to the large-format paintings, more intimate drawings and aquatints from 2023 will also be on display, providing a comprehensive insight into Scully’s artistic process and the philosophy behind his work. The exhibition will also be on display at the location at Bleibtreustraße 15/16 in Berlin.

More Information: https://www.aesence.com/exhibition/sean-scully-dark-yet/


David Ostrowski “Comments on this and that”
Knokke, De Brock Gallery

Galerie De Brock presents the first solo exhibition with David Ostrowski. Ostrowski, who studied at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, dedicated himself to painterly reduction after a devastating fire in his studio in which almost all of his paintings were destroyed. His artistic work, which follows neither a cultural canon nor a historical model, explores reduction through addition.

More Information: https://www.aesence.com/exhibition/david-ostrowski-comments-on-this-and-that/

Installation View of “Comments on this and that” by David Ostrowski at De Brock Gallery © Image Courtesy De Brock Gallery and the artist
Installation View of “Comments on this and that” by David Ostrowski at De Brock Gallery © Image Courtesy De Brock Gallery and the artist

Huong Dodinh: Transcendence
New York, Pace Gallery

The exhibition “TRANSCENDENCE” at Pace in New York presents the works of the Vietnamese-French artist Huong Dodinh for the first time in the USA. This retrospective covers her artistic oeuvre from the 1960s to the present day and features both paintings and works on paper. The show features nearly 30 works and represents her lifelong fascination with stillness, light and pure emotion expressed through an abstract visual language. The timing of the exhibition coincides with Frieze New York 2024 and will be accompanied by a new catalog published by Pace Publishing.

More Information: https://www.aesence.com/exhibition/huong-dodinh-transcendence/


Alicja Kwade & Agnes Martin: Space Between Lines
Los Angeles, Pace Gallery

There is another great show at Pace Gallery that I would like to mention this month: At the Los Angeles location, Pace presents an exciting juxtaposition of works by Alicja Kwade and Agnes Martin, curated by Kwade herself and Pace founder Arne Glimcher. The show presents new and significant sculptures by Kwade in dialog with selected paintings and works on paper by Martin. This marks Kwade’s first major presentation in Los Angeles and her first significant exhibition at Pace since joining in 2023.

The exhibition highlights the thematic and conceptual similarities between the two artists, particularly in relation to “their focus on time and temporality as an organizing principle of perceptual experience”.

More Information: https://www.aesence.com/exhibition/alicja-kwade-agnes-martin-space-between-lines/

Aesence is an independent art and design publication dedicated to minimalist aesthetics. Founded out of a deep appreciation and fascination, Aesence aims to promote awareness and appreciation of minimalism in art and design.