Selling Exhibition to Feature Works by Vilhelm Hammershøi Including a Selection from the Collection of Ambassador John L. Loeb Jr.

Showcased Alongside Important Works by American Minimalists
Anni Albers, Agnes Martin, and Robert Mangold

NEW YORK – 16 APRIL 2024 – PhillipsX is honored to announce the opening of its latest selling exhibition, Stillness: Hammershøi and American Minimalism, set to open to the public on 22 April and remain on view through 17 May, coinciding with the auction house’s May marquee sales in New York. The exhibition offers a unique exploration of the connections between the works of Danish artist Vilhelm Hammershøi and major American Minimalists such as Anni Albers, Agnes Martin, Robert Mangold, and Kenneth Noland. Highlighted within the exhibition are a selection of exceptional works by Hammershøi, including exemplary works from the collection of Ambassador John L. Loeb Jr. who served as the US Ambassador to Denmark from 1981 to 1983. During his time as Ambassador, he amassed a significant collection of Danish art, now considered to be the largest in the world outside of Danish museums. By juxtaposing works such as Martin’s Untitled #10, 1998, on loan from a private collection, and Albers’ Triadic DR III, 1969 with Hammershøi’s paintings in the same space, the connections across artistic movements are illuminated in a new light.

Jeremiah Evarts, Deputy Chairman, Americas, Senior International Specialist, 20th Century & Contemporary Art, said, “Vilhelm Hammershøi's importance in the art historical canon cannot be overstated, with his unparalleled ability to capture quietude and introspection on a canvas. With Stillness, our goal at Phillips is draw a visual parallel between the boldly minimal work of Hammershøi and their conclusive answer in the works of the American Minimalists a half-century later. Between last year’s exhibition at the Getty and the upcoming showcase of the artist’s work at Hauser & Wirth in Basel, it is clear that there is vibrant and renewed international interest in Hammershøi and his work. We look forward to welcoming visitors through our doors in April and contributing to this important dialogue.”

Stillness: Hammershøi and American Minimalism seeks to highlight the remarkable parallels in the artistic elements. Both Hammershøi and American Minimalists share a similar atmosphere in their repeated motifs, evoking a sense of space through minimal use of color, line, and composition, forming the foundation of the exhibition. Hammershøi's revolutionary approach to diluting subject matters to their bare essentials, combined with his expressive use of atmosphere and daringly simple palette, continues to captivate audiences with its modern aesthetic.

A notable feature in the exhibition is a significant work from the collection of Ambassador John L. Loeb Jr., Courtyard Interior at Strandgade 30, circa 1905 [illustrated page one]. The painting portrays a female figure gazing out the window and stands out as a particularly high-quality example from the series. It showcases the grid of windows, a hallmark of American Minimalists, underscoring the interplay between Hammershøi's use of the grid and its subsequent adoption by Minimalist artists.