Minimalism is an extreme form of abstract art, often composed of simple geometric shapes and subtle color choices. Geo-minimalist painter and sculptor, Heidi Spector, pushes the ideas of minimalism by creating pieces with bright colors and untraditional shapes. Her solo exhibition, When The Sun Comes Shining Through, opened yesterday at Spanierman Modern on the Upper East Side. 

Taking inspiration from the minimalist movement of the 20th century, Spector’s work connects directly with the viewer, using reflective materials like resin and liquitex. The vibrant patterns within her pieces dominate the viewer’s attention, as the bold primary colors used in all her pieces immediately draws us in.

Geometric abstract art emerged in the early 20th century as a response to the increasing realism of photography and film. The invention of photography created the opportunity to capture a single moment in time, versus artists from the past drawing from memory to create an image. Geometric abstract artists like Malevich, Wassily Kandinsky, Piet Mondrian, and others embraced geometric forms and primary colors to create works that took away the need for physical reality. Movements like Futurism and Cubism also played a major role in the rise of geometric abstraction.

Spector takes some of the philosophies of minimalism, using elements like repetition and reflection, giving it a contemporary spin. Her pieces play with the idea of color, shape, form, and texture, all of them finalized with the use of a blowtorch to create a reflective and glassy surface that allows the viewer an opportunity to see a diluted version of themself within the work. 

Spector draws inspiration from pop music, each of the pieces within her exhibition coincide with a color palette and song title that match. When the Sun Comes Shining Through were inspired by a variety of artists including Ella Fitzgerald, Johnny Cash, Led Zeppelin, and Calvin Harris. Her pieces are responses to the feelings she manifests while listening to music, a sort of synesthetic response to sound and art. With titles such as ‘The Dance Inside My Head’ and ‘Like Someone in Love,’ the artist makes clear the emotion behind each work. 

‘When the Sun Comes Shining Through’ will be on display at the Spanierman Modern gallery on June 13 through July 13.