in the main gallery: solo exhibit

francine tint

symbolic of the whole

April 26 - june 8, 2025

Francine Tint’s practice engages color, gesture, and space, evolving through decades of exploration. Her approach emerged within painterly abstraction, merging Color Field influences with the dynamic gestures of Abstract Expressionism. While grounded in this tradition, she continually expands its boundaries, exploring new forms of expression that challenge conventional abstract frameworks. David Ebony observes that Tint rejects rigid formalism in favor of an intuitive method, balancing energetic movement with moments of stillness. This interplay creates what he describes as a 'Zen feeling'—a sense of clarity and resolution within complex visual structures. 

Marking a new milestone, the Open Painting series is Tint’s most recent body of work. It introduces a dialogue between pigment and negative space, where raw canvas plays an active role, fostering a sense of depth and openness. This approach enhances luminosity, allowing light to interact dynamically with the surface. By embracing reduction, Tint balances spontaneity and precision, pushing her practice in a bold new direction. Art historian Alex Grimley describes her works as “Luminous Climates,” immersive chromatic environments that extend beyond the canvas. This attention to light and spatial relationships is particularly evident in her latest works, where exposed canvas and pigment generate depth and movement. Over five decades, Tint has remained committed to discovery and reinvention. While sharing affinities with peers such as Larry Poons, her synthesis of gesture and color distinguishes her vision.

Her work is held in the permanent collections of 30 museums, including the Neuberger Museum of Art, the El Paso Museum of Art, and the Chazen Museum of Art. Tint’s paintings are exhibited across the United States and Europe, further solidifying her influence in the field of contemporary abstraction.