Systems #1

About Systems #1

This contemporary abstract painting by Milly Ristvedt is expressed in a bold palette that includes black and yellow.

The power of pure colour and minimal form is masterfully displayed in this abstract painting by Milly Ristvedt. For more than six decades, this remarkable artist has explored colour and form. In her early years as an artist, Ristvedt was described by Jack Bush, regarded as one of Canada’s foremost artists, as ‘ahead of her time.’ The visual language she has developed is uniquely her own. In this dynamic composition, overlapping squares of various sizes are rendered in striking colours. Yellow and black dominate, pops of white, blue and cranberry add visual interest and detail. One of a series.

“Colour has been central to my explorations in painting from the beginning.” Milly Ristvedt

“In our contemporary moment of uncertainty, globalization and identity politics, colour with its infinite potential is accessible to everyone, is indifferent to any individual’s personal circumstance. It speaks to us across time, space and cultural differences.” Yvonne Lammerich, artist

Milly Ristvedt was born in British Columbia and studied at the Vancouver School of Art (now the Emily Carr University). Her first solo exhibit was at the Carmen Lamanna Gallery in Toronto. In the late 1960s, Ristvedt shared a studio with famed Canadian painter Jack Bush, met art critic Clement Greenberg and was inspired by American painters Jules Olitski and Frank Stella. Her work has been included in many publications. She was elected to the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts in 2004 and honoured with the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012.
She has won seven Canada Council awards and two Ontario Arts Council awards, and has had over 50 solo exhibitions and been part of countless group shows. Ristvedt's work can be found in major public collections throughout North America, including the National Gallery of Canada.

Milly Ristvedt is represented exclusively by the Oeno Gallery.