Presenting a precise, sequential ordering of line, its complex relation to space, and its interaction with the picture plane, this charcoal and conte on sized canvas titled 'Threshold' by Mel Bochner exemplifies his use of diagrammatic forms to convey ideas through spatial orientation. Interwoven lines in a range of colors lace together in an intricate arrangement, attracting the eye to various points across the composition. This controlled chaos of line results in a complex sense of depth, allowing a two dimensional surface to draw the viewer into a three dimensional space.

A leading practitioner of conceptual art, Mel Bochner (b. 1940) was one of the first artists in the 1960s to introduce language into the visual field of art and continues to do so today. Known for his incredibly vibrant works which infuse linguistic and visual representations into his bold compositions, Bochner’s art pushes the viewer to think beyond seeing, interpreting exactly what’s presented to them through text and color simultaneously. Bochner received his BFA in 1962 and honorary Doctor of Fine Arts in 2005 from the School of Art at Carnegie Mellon University. The artist has held numerous exhibitions over the course of his career including shows at the National Gallery of Art (Washington, DC), Philadelphia Museum of Art (Philadelphia, PA), Museum of Modern Art (New York, NY), and Musee d’art Moderne et Contemporain (Geneva, Switzerland), among others.

Select Public Collections:
Museum of Modern Art (New York, NY),
Art Institute of Chicago (Chicago, IL)
Smithsonian American Art Museum (Washington, DC)
Serralves Foundation Museum of Contemporary Art (Porto, Portugal)
Fotomuseum Winterthur (Winterthur, Switzerland)