During the mid-1960s, Charles Hinman worked out of an abandoned sail-making loft located on the Coenties Slip in Lower Manhattan that he shared with James Rosenquist. It was during this time that Hinman began playing a significant role in redefining the physical shape of painting, seeking to push the canvas out from the wall. The artist was also greatly influenced by Ellsworth Kelly’s use of flat, contrasting colors. The protruding geometric and undulating forms in Acropolis allow it to function as a painting and a sculpture simultaneously. The artist’s travels to Greece may have influenced the composition and title of this work, which evoke the citadel of ancient Athens.

Label from Giant Steps: Artists and the 1960s, June 30–December 30, 2018