Gilliam, Sam
1933-2022 · Contribution: 1960s-2022
Visual Arts
Abstract / Color Field painting and sculpture; pioneered the 'drape' painting — large stained, unstretched canvases hung and draped from walls and ceilings — giving painting a sculptural, three-dimensional presence
Portraits are AI-generated interpretations, not photographs.
Quick facts
- Category
- Visual Arts
Impact on the world
Gilliam liberated painting from the rectangle, transforming the canvas into a three-dimensional, architectural medium and expanding the very definition of abstract art.
Sources
- Smithsonian American Art Museum
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