“Into the Abstract,” now on view at the Southern Vermont Arts Center, is aptly named because it offers an entrée into minimalist-inspired abstraction. Visitors are invited to explore the parallels and contrasts between the works of Neha Vedpathak — an artist in her 40s, and Paul Gruhler, an artist in his 80s. Their art is installed separately in two galleries of the Center’s Elizabeth de C. Wilson Museum, as if the two galleries are in conversation with each other.
Gruhler’s clean, crisp, color-saturated works are reminiscent of the iconic zip paintings of Barnett Newman, whose works evoked a spiritual sense of the sublime. The geometry of Josef Albers and the immersive fields of color of Mark Rothko are also echoed in Gruhler’s paintings. He is remarkably sensitive to color tones, experimenting to ensure his color relationships work harmoniously. This expertise is evident in the optical magic created by the velvety red variations set within the deep plum and rich blue of his “Points of Reference Series #81.”
There are no curves or soft edges in these paintings — metal rulers and tape are part of Gruhler’s meticulous technique. Unpainted bands of flax-colored linen become flawless, neutral toned stripes. Each exacting and methodical painting has a center line, or central focus that underscores his concentration on balance and equilibrium.
The centerpiece of Gruhler’s gallery is a show-stopping installation of 15 square paintings of various sizes — each tilted on its axis to form diamonds. These are arranged into an enormous triangle, rising some 20-feet up the gallery wall and echoing the angle of the vaulted ceiling high above. Your eye is forced upwards, evoking a monastic-like reverence for something beyond day-to-day living. Gruhler’s artistic discipline, smooth surfaces and mathematical precision originate from his “desire to make harmony in a world of disruption and chaos.” The soaring installation enhances the sense of meditation and spiritual orderliness evident in his paintings.