Contemporary Art Shows In October 2024 For Minimalist Art Lovers

Autumn is fast approaching, and the days are getting shorter. This month, I’d like to share a small but exquisite selection of exhibitions with a minimalist aesthetic. Cadogan Gallery in London is opening its new location with the gallery’s largest group exhibition, featuring 21 artists including Kim Bartelt and Richard Zinon. In Sydney, Curatorial+Co presents Morgan Stokes’ solo show “Skeleton”, which explores the essence of painting and sculpture. Also on display in Sydney is a new solo show by the exceptional artist Lee Ufan at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. In Lisbon, the exhibition “Fred Sandback: Threading Space” at the MAC/CCB Museum pays tribute to the American artist and his masterful use of material and space.

Gallery 57 in West Sussex is showing minimalist works by Alexandra Yan Wong and Oliver Chalk that explore the meaning of time and human action. And finally, in Los Angeles, Helen J Gallery presents a group exhibition featuring Korean abstract artists.

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

Cadogan Gallery is opening its new flagship space on Harriet Street this October with the gallery’s largest group exhibition to date. Founded in 1980 by Christopher Burness, the gallery has since become an established contemporary art institution. Now under the direction of Christopher’s son, Freddie Burness, the gallery remains true to its artist-centered philosophy and continues to place a special emphasis on contemporary abstract art.

The inaugural exhibition features new works by 21 artists, including Richard Zinon, Nuria Maria, and Andreas Diaz Andersson, and reflects the gallery’s history and future.

More information: https://www.aesence.com/exhibition/cadogan-gallery-a-group-exhibition/

Curatorial+Co. in Sydney is presenting a new solo show by Morgan Stokes starting October 9. The show examines the structure and essence of painting and sculpture by questioning form, matter, and their philosophical significance in the digital age. Stokes reimagines pigment, canvas, stretcher bars, and stone as fundamental elements to explore the objecthood of art and its role in a screen-mediated world.

His works embody a minimalist aesthetic and invite the viewer to actively participate as a subject in the dialogue between body and material. This fourth exhibition at Curatorial+Co. ties in with the themes of his previous presentations.

More information: https://www.aesence.com/exhibition/morgan-stokes-skeleton/

Also on display in Sydney is a new solo show by the exceptional artist Lee Ufan at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. In this special exhibition entitled “Quiet Resonance”, Lee is showing a collection of recent paintings and sculptures almost half a century after his participation in the 1976 Sydney Biennale. Lee Ufan, born in Korea in 1936, is known for his minimalist aesthetic using simple natural materials like stone, wood, and glass, reflecting a deep connection with nature and spirituality. His work embraces philosophical concepts from Zen Buddhism and Confucianism

More information: https://www.aesence.com/exhibition/lee-ufan-quiet-resonance/

The MAC/CCB Museum of Contemporary Art in Lisbon presents the exhibition “Fred Sandback: Threading Space”, curated by Lilian Tone. This show offers a comprehensive insight into the work of the important American artist, who created a multifaceted oeuvre over more than 35 years. The exhibition, which is taking place in Portugal for the first time in this form, focuses on Sandback’s extraordinary handling of material and space.

The exhibition includes not only Sandback’s iconic acrylic yarn sculptures, but also highlights lesser-known facets of his work. Drawings and prints, as well as wooden reliefs and text works, enrich the exhibition and show the diversity and depth of his artistic explorations.

More information: https://www.aesence.com/exhibition/fred-sandback-threading-space/

In West Sussex, GALLERY57 presents works by Alexandra Yan Wong and Oliver Chalk. Both artists question the meaning of time and human action in their work. Oliver Chalk’s works reflect the dialogue between natural and man-made materials and explore the human search for meaning.

Alexandra Yan Wong’s paintings are characterized by layers of different materials that connect past and present traditions. The exhibition invites us to reflect on the value of simple being and the finding of identity through creative processes.

Tip: In gallery 2, there is another exciting exhibition entitled “a minimal aesthetic”. It presents the works of Amanda Sumpter, Yohge Matsuda and Sara Deere-Hall.

More Information: https://www.aesence.com/exhibition/time-spent-alexandra-yan-wong-oliver-chalk/

And in Los Angeles, Helen J Gallery is presenting “Refraction Abstraction,” a group exhibition of Korean abstract artists curated by Sigourney Schultz. Works by Yoon Jongju, Candice Joo, Minku Kim, Hyemin Lee, Alex Paik, Han Sungwoo and Park YoungHa will be on display. The exhibition reflects on the legacy of the 1970s Dansaekhwa movement and addresses reactions to the post-industrial reality in the aftermath of the Korean War. The artists explore abstraction and themes such as community, nature, and collective memory within the Korean-American diaspora.

More information: https://helenjgallery.com/Refraction-Abstraction

See all exhibitions here