Pachanak

This piece is part of Stella's Indian Bird series, a precursor of his current work. The series is composed of twelve exuberant reliefs that Stella conceived and first executed as metal maquettes (small models) when he was visiting friends in Ahmedabad, India. The brilliant color and metallic glitter reflect the artist's experience of the art and environment of that country. Stella is often concerned with structure and support in his work; here, the undulating grid functions not merely as background but as an actual physical support, such as canvas provides for paint. The work further challenges traditional definitions of painting by projecting out into the viewer's space.