Parallel Progression

About Parallel Progression

This contemporary abstract painting has expressive markings and geometric shapes in black and white.

Lucy Maki has been exploring and experimenting with different media, geometric shapes and architectural elements for decades. The New Mexico artist has been influenced by modernist abstraction, cubism and surrealism. Her shaped paintings—a concept that first gained popularity in the 1960s takes the painted canvas and stretches it over wooden panels, extending the picture frame. Maki is playing with space and constructing a sculptural piece at the same time. Parallel Progression features a series of rectangular panels that are stacked one above the other. The viewer’s eye is drawn up from the plain base towards panels featuring horizontal stripes and lyrical calligraphic markings in both black and white. The absence of colour allows both the form and the gestural strokes to take center stage.

“The play of boundaries between polarities such as painting/sculpture, virtual/actual, flat/dimensional, representation/abstraction, ornamental/minimal, spontaneous/controlled, become integrated in a singular gestalt unique to each piece.” Lucy Maki

“She works intuitively with pure form like New Mexico’s Transcendental Painting Group and sees herself in the lineage of its members, who were active in the 1930’s.” Lyndsay Knecht, Writer, producer

Lucy Maki received her MA and MFA from the University of New Mexico, finishing in 1982. Maki’s artwork has been exhibited internationally--in the US, Mexico and Canada. It can be found in collections at the Albuquerque Museum and the Museum of New Mexico.