Alan Shields, Swing & String (from the Estate from Jacob and Aviva Baal Teshuva), 1977-1979

Alan Shields came of age artistically in the late 1960s in New York. Expanding the boundaries of Minimalism, he became known as a master of aesthetic invention through his wide-ranging exploration of materials and techniques. His mixed media works often contain combinations of traditional silkscreen processes combined with found materials, as in this colorful relief with handmade paper construction. This is a rare printer's proof, aside from a very small edition of 20, which the publisher sold out long ago. Each work is handmade, with unique variations. Shields died in 2005 and has since been ripe for rediscovery. In recent years, Shields' work has been exhibited by Van Doren Waxter, and he was the subject of a major exhibition at the Parrish Art Museum. In 2013, Paula Cooper Gallery inaugurated her 10th Avenue exhibition space with a major Alan Shields exhibition.
New York Times critic Roberta Smith wrote in her 2005 obituary for the artist: "Mr. Shields's work combined expanses of gorgeous stained color, reminiscent of Helen Frankenthaler's canvases, with the humbler crafts and a Gypsy sense of portability." Critic Robert Hughes has described Shields as a brilliant bricoleur who could, and often did, make art out of just about anything. He became an innovative printmaker, experimenting with handmade paper and turning out editions in which each print was unique. After his passing, Shields was awarded a Judith Rothschild Foundation grant given to recently deceased abstract artists whose work is of the highest quality but merits further recognition.

Signature: Signed, inscribed, titled, with notation that the piece is 2 sided

Provenance: Acquired from the Estate of Jacob and Aviva Baal Teshuva