arts&life

exhibit

Luminous
Constructs

A collection of works

by abstract expressionist

Al Held is on display at the

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David Klein Gallery.

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SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

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bstract art enthusiasts can see
one of Al Held’s paintings on
exhibit in the Detroit Institute
of Arts. Those same enthusiasts can
see 13 more Held paintings at the
David Klein Gallery in Detroit.
While the DIA is showing Black Nile
V, an acrylic on canvas completed
in 1973 and part of the museum’s
permanent collection, the Klein
Gallery is having a temporary exhibit
through April 28 — Al Held Luminous
Constructs: Paintings and Watercolors
from the 1990s.
“I’ve enjoyed working with Held’s
paintings, watercolors and prints,”
says Klein, who has featured Held
images as part of larger-theme exhib-
its. “I had the opportunity to meet his
daughter, Mara, a painter in her own
right, and we decided it was time to
have this exhibit in Detroit.”
Held, who was born in 1928 and
died in 2005 after going through dif-
ferent phases of abstract artistry, had
one dominant characteristic — he
worked very large, often with a
mural approach.
“We’re showing five large-scale
paintings reaching 9 by 16 feet,

details

Al Held Luminous Constructs:
Paintings and Watercolors
from the 1990s continues
through April 28 at the
David Klein Gallery, Detroit.
(313) 818-3416;
dkgallery.com.

Al Held photographed by his friend Andre Emmerich in 1977

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April 12 • 2018

jn