172:-coated paper, two materials that resist one another, and the chemical process creates its own distortions. As David Hunt puts it: "Maureen McQuillan's threadlike lines of ink and resin flow across the canvas like jagged tributaries converging in an oceanic center." McQuillan describe her relationship with line thus: "I am fascinated by the seemingly endless possibilities of line, and how I can evoke phenomena of the natural, virtual and artificial worlds via a simple, open, and performative process."
31:
211:
258:. She translated her signature ribbons of vivid color into geometric patterns, and, building on her practice of using clear acrylic mediums, created floor to ceiling laminated glass windows that span three sides of the station and fill the space with natural light. The title is drawn from the 1969 psychedelic rock song by
152:
113:
237:
called Sensory
Forensics. She was inspired by the idea that digital products like scanners and cameras are encoded with tiny flaws that distort their ability to accurately capture and reproduce images. The machines that we think of as creating perfect representations of reality are in fact
136:
She works on wood panels, layering acrylic polymer, white lines, and translucent ink to create her complicated nets of folding ribbons. The layering creates a sense of luminosity and infinite space. The effect of shifting color and wavering line is subtle and full of movement, described by one critic
140:
Although she addresses digital technology, the tangibility of the artwork is essential; some of the spatial effects are achieved through the physical stacking of layers separated by clear medium. The finished pieces are up to 3/4 of an inch thick. Materiality is important to her drawings as
120:
McQuillan creates kaleidoscopic abstractions with overlapping layers of translucent color and rippling lines. She takes a systematic approach, applying the ink according to a rigid set of her own rules akin to the structure of a line of music or computer code. In these works, she investigates the
96:
is a New York-based contemporary artist, who, though primarily a painter, has worked in a range of mediums that include drawing, painting, camera-less photography, and sculptural installation. Across disciplines, she uses color and flowing line to create her complexly patterned abstractions.
132:
She follows a set of strictly defined rules but embraces unforeseen effects. As she describes it: "As much as I try to follow the rules I made at the outset, my process invariably runs off the rails, and goes off in an unexpected direction. That is not to say I just rely on accidents, because my
222:
during a 2008 residency at the Islip Art Museum on Long Island, NY. Without a camera, she uses hand-drawn lines and their shadows to create images on photo-sensitive paper. The result is a kind of sculpture translated into two dimensions. The resulting imagery is complicated but the tools
167:
The drawings feel both highly structured and organic, which is a result of the process-driven way they are made. As in her later color pieces, she invents a set of arbitrary instructions. They are impossible to follow accurately, and she allows these failings in the human hand to create visual
175:
She frequently incorporates skewed and distended grids. The negative and positive spaces are equally important, which increases the effect of spatial ambiguity. While her drawings are non-representational, they bring up numerous schematic associations, from an
188:. Yet "this is a topography of nothing but the artist's vision." They feel like they chart rational and scientific data, yet the optical effects are so strong and destabilizing, they might seem to describe something bigger and more abstract, like
163:
and commented on the mesmerizing quality of her twisting threads: "There’s no telling how
Maureen McQuillan achieves the effect of streamers unfurling through the darkening space… but the result is hypnotic and as delicate as smoke."
128:
While the pieces are handmade, her process results in something that can feel digitally produced. The finished pieces are reminiscent of cellular structure under a microscope or cosmic phenomena through a telescope.
133:
process is a very directed and restrictive system. It’s just that all plans go awry and all systems go haywire." The translucent overlapping colors combine optically in unexpected ways.
141:
well, as critic Helen
Harrison explains: "Ms. McQuillan’s ink drawings on resin-coated paper subtly exploit the resistance of the two media, forcing distortions that recall seismic graphs."
275:
63:
298:, NY; The Islip Art Museum, NY; the John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Wisconsin; and Le VOG Contemporary Arts Center, Fontaine and The College of Art and Design, Grenoble, France.
796:
121:
subjectivity of color, and how technology mediates and defines our modern perception of it now that the natural phenomenon is so often translated through printer ink or
159:
McQuillan's early work is primarily monochromatic and uses undulating, repetitive lines to create a sense of space and rhythm. Critics have noted the reference to
935:
930:
238:
encoded with errors and defects. The sculptural window installation was made from neon tubing, mylar, and more than a thousand feet of electrical cable.
945:
940:
826:
804:
262:. The repetitive patterns capture the monotonous nature of commuting while celebrating the small variations of each day's journey.
200:
are born." Her drawings develop tension between pure abstraction and the cognitive impulse to create narrative around an image.
426:
291:
234:
286:
Maureen McQuillan has been showing in the US and internationally since the nineties. Group exhibitions include: The
301:
The recipient of numerous awards and residencies, her work is held in public collections across the US and abroad.
278:. Although she has spent most of her life in New York, she has also lived in Mississippi, Hong Kong, and Miami.
287:
925:
346:
255:
193:
605:
588:
547:
490:
371:
271:
251:
59:
877:
757:
740:
665:
646:
528:
703:
624:
509:
295:
566:
684:
471:
411:
177:
452:
721:
777:
185:
390:
324:
247:
919:
852:
372:"Abstracting the Meaning: Looking at the World and Reflecting It Back in a New Way"
259:
197:
181:
30:
189:
219:
797:"MTA Reopens Two Astoria Subway Stations After 8 Months Of Renovations"
210:
151:
112:
160:
218:
As an extension of her drawing practice, McQuillan began producing
223:
required are very simple, just a light bulb, paper and chemicals.
209:
169:
150:
122:
111:
910:
196:
describes one piece as the "so–called stellar nursery where the
905:
82:
414:(Press release). New York: McKenzie Fine Art. June 21, 2015.
704:"Exhibit tracks the trend of mapping out truth and beauty"
270:
Born in New York, McQuillan received a BA in
English from
276:
New York Studio School of
Drawing, Painting and Sculpture
64:
New York Studio School of
Drawing, Painting and Sculpture
640:
638:
168:
effects. She has worked with printer's ink and
77:
69:
55:
47:
37:
21:
590:Espacio Negativo Terrano Nyorguino Catalogue Essay
254:in Astoria, New York, a permanent commission by
233:She created a site-specific installation at the
771:
769:
685:"Gallery Watch: Driven to Dynamic Abstraction"
406:
404:
347:"A conversation with artist Maureen McQuillan"
250:, Crystal Blue Persuasion, opened at the
472:"When the Line Itself Is the Main Attraction"
427:"Maureen McQuillan's Offset Drift on the LES"
8:
742:Maureen McQuillan: Drawings Catalogue Essay
625:"Lovely lines draw the eye at Limn Gallery"
318:
316:
314:
214:Example of a Photogram by Maureen McQuillan
582:
580:
391:"An Exercise in Reading Between the Lines"
365:
363:
155:Resin and Ink Drawing by Maureen McQuillan
29:
18:
593:. San JosĂ©, Costa Rica: GalerĂa Nacional.
370:Lombardi, Dominick (September 24, 2000).
664:Genocchio, Benjamin (October 11, 2009).
310:
137:"as ephemeral-looking as smoke rings."
425:Condon, Elizabeth (November 9, 2018).
340:
338:
345:Xavier, Francis (February 25, 2016).
7:
778:"The Infinite Possibilities of Line"
745:. New York: James Graham & Sons.
508:Aukeman, Anastasia (December 2002).
936:21st-century American women artists
931:20th-century American women artists
683:Bonetti, David (January 28, 2000).
702:McQuaid, Kate (January 21, 2005).
412:"Maureen McQuillan: Process Color"
116:2015 Painting by Maureen McQuillan
14:
784:. New York: The Interalia Centre.
776:McQuillan, Maureen (March 2015).
759:Necessary Detours Catalogue Essay
645:McCabe, Bret (January 21, 200s).
389:Greben, Deidre (April 25, 2003).
331:. New York: The Interalia Centre.
323:McQuillan, Maureen (March 2016).
470:Harrison, Helen (May 11, 2003).
246:In 2018 McQuillan's first major
623:Baker, Kenneth (July 9, 2005).
587:Shapiro, David (October 2004).
546:Danto, Ginger (December 2002).
527:Baker, Kenneth (July 5, 2008).
911:http://www.mckenziefineart.com
762:. New York: McKenzie Fine Art.
666:"The Weather We Barely Notice"
489:Everett, Deborah (July 1999).
1:
946:American contemporary artists
941:Artists from New York (state)
604:Smart, Paul (June 28, 2007).
565:Hunt, David (November 1999).
529:"Wauson Remembered at Haines"
292:Contemporary Museum Baltimore
235:Contemporary Museum Baltimore
795:Chung, Jen (June 25, 2018).
739:Freedman, James (May 1999).
691:. San Francisco, California.
451:Landi, Ann (October 2014).
962:
803:. New York. Archived from
252:36th Avenue Subway Station
756:Spade, Sue (March 2010).
28:
833:. MTA Arts & Design
629:San Francisco Chronicle
533:San Francisco Chronicle
288:Weatherspoon Art Museum
689:San Francisco Examiner
612:. Woodstock, New York.
290:, Greensboro, NC; The
215:
156:
117:
274:before attending the
256:MTA Arts & Design
213:
154:
115:
728:. Paris. April 2005.
651:Baltimore City Paper
606:"Talk About Culture"
453:"Color As Structure"
878:"Maureen McQuillan"
807:on October 12, 2019
272:Columbia University
60:Columbia University
831:NYCT Permanent Art
782:InterAlia Magazine
431:Raggedy Ann's Foot
329:InterAlia Magazine
296:The Drawing Center
216:
157:
146:Monochromatic work
118:
101:Process and themes
882:McKenzie Fine Art
857:Maureen McQuillan
647:"Moving Outlines"
94:Maureen McQuillan
91:
90:
23:Maureen McQuillan
953:
906:Official website
893:
892:
890:
888:
874:
868:
867:
865:
863:
849:
843:
842:
840:
838:
823:
817:
816:
814:
812:
792:
786:
785:
773:
764:
763:
753:
747:
746:
736:
730:
729:
718:
712:
711:
699:
693:
692:
680:
674:
673:
661:
655:
654:
642:
633:
632:
631:. San Francisco.
620:
614:
613:
601:
595:
594:
584:
575:
574:
562:
556:
555:
543:
537:
536:
535:. San Francisco.
524:
518:
517:
505:
499:
498:
486:
480:
479:
467:
461:
460:
448:
442:
441:
439:
437:
422:
416:
415:
408:
399:
398:
386:
380:
379:
367:
358:
357:
351:
342:
333:
332:
320:
87:
84:
83:maureenmcquillan
33:
19:
16:American painter
961:
960:
956:
955:
954:
952:
951:
950:
916:
915:
902:
897:
896:
886:
884:
876:
875:
871:
861:
859:
851:
850:
846:
836:
834:
825:
824:
820:
810:
808:
794:
793:
789:
775:
774:
767:
755:
754:
750:
738:
737:
733:
726:D’Architectures
720:
719:
715:
701:
700:
696:
682:
681:
677:
663:
662:
658:
644:
643:
636:
622:
621:
617:
610:Woodstock Times
603:
602:
598:
586:
585:
578:
564:
563:
559:
545:
544:
540:
526:
525:
521:
507:
506:
502:
488:
487:
483:
469:
468:
464:
450:
449:
445:
435:
433:
424:
423:
419:
410:
409:
402:
388:
387:
383:
369:
368:
361:
349:
344:
343:
336:
325:"Drawing Color"
322:
321:
312:
307:
284:
268:
244:
231:
208:
186:topographic map
149:
110:
103:
81:
62:
43:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
959:
957:
949:
948:
943:
938:
933:
928:
918:
917:
914:
913:
908:
901:
900:External links
898:
895:
894:
869:
844:
818:
787:
765:
748:
731:
713:
694:
675:
670:New York Times
656:
634:
615:
596:
576:
557:
538:
519:
500:
481:
476:New York Times
462:
443:
417:
400:
381:
376:New York Times
359:
356:. Los Angeles.
334:
309:
308:
306:
303:
283:
280:
267:
264:
248:public artwork
243:
240:
230:
225:
207:
202:
148:
143:
109:
104:
102:
99:
89:
88:
79:
75:
74:
71:
70:Known for
67:
66:
57:
53:
52:
49:
45:
44:
41:
39:
35:
34:
26:
25:
22:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
958:
947:
944:
942:
939:
937:
934:
932:
929:
927:
926:Living people
924:
923:
921:
912:
909:
907:
904:
903:
899:
883:
879:
873:
870:
858:
854:
848:
845:
832:
828:
827:"36th Avenue"
822:
819:
806:
802:
798:
791:
788:
783:
779:
772:
770:
766:
761:
760:
752:
749:
744:
743:
735:
732:
727:
723:
717:
714:
709:
705:
698:
695:
690:
686:
679:
676:
671:
667:
660:
657:
652:
648:
641:
639:
635:
630:
626:
619:
616:
611:
607:
600:
597:
592:
591:
583:
581:
577:
572:
568:
561:
558:
553:
549:
548:"About Paper"
542:
539:
534:
530:
523:
520:
515:
511:
510:"About Paper"
504:
501:
496:
492:
485:
482:
477:
473:
466:
463:
458:
454:
447:
444:
432:
428:
421:
418:
413:
407:
405:
401:
396:
392:
385:
382:
377:
373:
366:
364:
360:
355:
348:
341:
339:
335:
330:
326:
319:
317:
315:
311:
304:
302:
299:
297:
293:
289:
281:
279:
277:
273:
265:
263:
261:
257:
253:
249:
241:
239:
236:
229:
226:
224:
221:
212:
206:
203:
201:
199:
195:
194:David Shapiro
191:
187:
183:
179:
173:
171:
165:
162:
153:
147:
144:
142:
138:
134:
130:
126:
124:
114:
108:
105:
100:
98:
95:
86:
80:
76:
72:
68:
65:
61:
58:
54:
50:
46:
42:New York City
40:
36:
32:
27:
20:
885:. Retrieved
881:
872:
860:. Retrieved
856:
847:
835:. Retrieved
830:
821:
809:. Retrieved
805:the original
800:
790:
781:
758:
751:
741:
734:
725:
716:
708:Boston Globe
707:
697:
688:
678:
669:
659:
650:
628:
618:
609:
599:
589:
570:
560:
551:
541:
532:
522:
514:Art on Paper
513:
503:
494:
484:
475:
465:
456:
446:
434:. Retrieved
430:
420:
394:
384:
375:
353:
328:
300:
294:, Maryland;
285:
269:
245:
232:
228:Installation
227:
217:
204:
174:
166:
158:
145:
139:
135:
131:
127:
119:
106:
93:
92:
887:October 12,
862:October 12,
837:October 12,
811:October 14,
672:. New York.
573:. New York.
554:. New York.
516:. New York.
497:. New York.
478:. New York.
459:. New York.
436:October 11,
397:. New York.
378:. New York.
354:LA Examiner
260:Tommy James
242:Public work
198:black holes
182:weather map
178:EKG reading
107:Recent work
48:Nationality
920:Categories
567:"In Tense"
305:References
220:photograms
205:Photograms
190:cyberspace
801:Gothamist
710:. Boston.
653:. Boston.
491:"Pattern"
266:Education
56:Education
571:Time Out
51:American
722:"Guide"
552:ARTnews
495:NY Arts
457:ARTnews
395:Newsday
78:Website
282:Career
161:Op Art
123:pixels
73:Artist
350:(PDF)
184:to a
180:to a
170:resin
889:2019
864:2019
853:"CV"
839:2019
813:2019
438:2019
85:.com
38:Born
922::
880:.
855:.
829:.
799:.
780:.
768:^
724:.
706:.
687:.
668:.
649:.
637:^
627:.
608:.
579:^
569:.
550:.
531:.
512:.
493:.
474:.
455:.
429:.
403:^
393:.
374:.
362:^
352:.
337:^
327:.
313:^
192:.
125:.
891:.
866:.
841:.
815:.
440:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.