The histories of art and architecture have long been aligned, but architecture has played a special role in the development of modern art. From the late nineteenth century onwards, artists have drawn parallels between the architecture of buildings and the “architecture,” or structure, of the picture plane. Their works encourage us to appreciate buildings as formal compositions in three-dimensional space. In a similar vein, artists have also used architectural surfaces, including ornamentation, to create patterned works that verge on abstraction, helping us see the beauty in our everyday surroundings. For other artists, architecture is less about form than feeling: their works underscore how a building and its interior space can define our inner lives. Finally, many contemporary artists emphasize that architecture is far from neutral, actively shaping and reflecting a society’s culture, politics, and history.

Drawn from the Albright-Knox’s collection, Window to Wall includes works by twentieth-century artists such as Charles Sheeler, Edward Hopper, and Joseph Stella alongside more recent compositions, illuminating art’s enduring and complex relationship with its sister discipline.

This exhibition is organized by Assistant Curator Tina Rivers Ryan.

Admission to this exhibition is free during M&T FIRST FRIDAYS @ THE GALLERY.