Frank Stella

Stella meet-and-greet, Thu., Sept. 18, 6 p.m., $15 (waiting list only); exhibit runs through Sun., Sept. 21; Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Hamilton Building, 128 N. Broad St., 215-972-0522, pafa.edu.

by Rachel Dukeman

visual art

Within a year of Frank Stella's debut, he was making a scene. In 1958, the gallant 22-year-old entered the New York art scene with his daring black-striped paintings, and almost immediately carved a name for himself as a key player in postwar art: Featured in the Museum of Modern Art's 1959 exhibit "16 Americans," Stella would have a profound influence on abstract expressionism, minimalism and color-field painting. Fast forward 50 years and Stella's name still evokes a strong connection to contemporary art and a significant presence in art history.

Most artists need to hone their ability to render an object realistically before breaking it down abstractly. But Stella seems to have raised the learning curve. In a 2000 NPR interview with Terry Gross, Stella said, "I was in paint all my life. When I saw a de Kooning and Kline, and even Pollock, I knew right away how it was done."

As part of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts' exhibition "Reverberations: Modern and Contemporary Art from the Bank of America Collection," which closes Sunday, Frank Stella will speak at a reception and answer audience questions. Stella's Damascus Gate II from the Protractor Series (pictured) and Agua Caliente from the Race Track series are included in the exhibition, which also features the work of Sam Gilliam, Faith Ringgold, John Marin and many others.

Stella meet-and-greet, Thu., Sept. 18, 6 p.m., $15 (waiting list only); exhibit runs through Sun., Sept. 21; Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Hamilton Building, 128 N. Broad St., 215-972-0522, pafa.edu.