Pace Gallery has announced a two-part exhibition showcasing the works of Sam Gilliam, one of the leading innovators in postwar American painting. The exhibition will be on view at Pace's Seoul gallery from January 10 to March 29, 2025, followed by a presentation in Tokyo from March 7 to April 19, 2025. The show will feature a selection of Gilliam’s watercolors and Drape paintings, created between 2018 and 2022, offering a rare opportunity to explore the artist's late-career experimentations.

Sam Gilliam, who rose to prominence in the 1960s as part of the Washington, D.C. Color School movement, is known for his pioneering works that disrupted the conventions of Abstract Expressionism. Drawing inspiration from Renaissance painting and modernist formalism, Gilliam developed an artistic vision that blended painting and sculpture, paving the way for what would later be recognized as installation art. His Drape paintings, which suspended unstretched canvases from walls or ceilings, transformed both the medium and the viewing experience, positioning him as a key figure in American avant-garde art.

In the 1960s, Gilliam also began creating rich watercolor abstractions on Japanese washi paper, employing techniques like staining, folding, and distressing the surface. These works demonstrated his evolving understanding of color and form, where the paper itself became an intrinsic part of the composition. His later watercolors, much like his Drape paintings, incorporate elements of texture and depth, using the folds and creases of the paper to create illusions of volume and form. These late-career works mark a continuation of Gilliam’s exploration of color, materiality, and space, themes that had defined his career since the 1960s.

The upcoming exhibition in Seoul and Tokyo will highlight the artist's exploration of Cerex nylon in his Drape series from 2018. These works, suspended from the ceiling with a single cord, offer a dynamic experience, allowing the viewer to engage with the work in the round. Gilliam's unique approach to soaking, staining, pouring, and folding materials creates fluid, entrancing compositions that continue to evolve in terms of luminosity and energy. These new Drape works offer a fresh perspective on an iconic body of work, underscoring Gilliam’s capacity for reinvention.

Gilliam's ties to both Seoul and Tokyo are notable and personal. During his time in the U.S. Army from 1956 to 1958, he was stationed in Yokohama, Japan, where he visited galleries and was influenced by Japanese art and architecture. He also encountered the work of Yves Klein, which marked a pivotal moment in his artistic development. These experiences shaped Gilliam’s approach to color and form, and decades later, he would return to Japan and South Korea for exhibitions and cultural exchanges, reinforcing his connection to both regions.

In 1991, Gilliam held his first solo exhibition in Seoul at the Walker Hill Arts Center and later returned in 2021 for another major solo show at Pace. His works are now part of prestigious collections worldwide, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and the Tate in London. The upcoming exhibitions in Seoul and Tokyo will not only commemorate Gilliam’s legacy but also explore the transformative potential of his work during the final years of his life.

In addition to the Gilliam show, Pace Gallery will also present an exhibition of works by fellow Washington Color School painter Kenneth Noland at both its Seoul and Tokyo locations. The two exhibitions will offer a unique perspective on the evolution of abstract art in America during the postwar period, showcasing the groundbreaking contributions of both artists to the development of modern painting.

Through this exhibition, Pace Gallery invites viewers to explore the profound, enduring legacy of Sam Gilliam, whose radical vision continues to shape the conversation around abstraction and installation art.

Sayart / Maria Kim, sayart2022@gmail.com