Gallery Talk: Kenneth Noland and His Radical Geometry

This event does not require registration; see further details below.

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.

The Harvard Art Museums offer free admission every day, Tuesday through Sunday. Please see the museum visit page to learn about our general policies for visiting the museums.

Support for this exhibition is provided by the Arthur K. and Mariot F. Solomon Care of the Collection Endowment Fund, the Mariot F. Solomon Care of Collections Fund, and the Martha Tedeschi Exhibition Fund, made possible by the Lunder Foundation–Peter and Paula Lunder Family. Related programming is supported by the Arthur K. and Mariot F. Solomon Care of the Collection Endowment Fund.

The Harvard Art Museums are committed to accessibility for all visitors. For anyone requiring accessibility accommodations for our programs, please contact us at am_register@harvard.edu at least 48 hours in advance. Please include the name and date of the program in the subject line of your email.