Abstraction as Legacy

Part document, part subjective storytelling, visual art illustrates and offers nuance to significant moments in U.S. history. From portraits of well-known leaders to history paintings that speak to the sacrifice and strength of the American people, the power of paint to render subjects remains unquestionable.

The act of painting can also make history. Through hard edges and expressive forms, American artists re-imagined painting and used abstraction as a mechanism to consider the human body, natural environs, architecture, emotion, and an economy of line.

This exhibition is not meant to be exhaustive but intended to highlight the breadth of painterly abstraction in the United States. Following the 1950s, it became clear that the art world turned to the U.S. for ingenuity and boundary-breaking abstract art forms. From trends that arose in Havana and made it to the U.S. through exile to experiments developed in New York and Los Angeles, the legacy of American abstraction evolves as rich and varied. The featured artists include Young-Il Ahn, Sam Gilliam, Carmen Herrera, Hans Hofmann, Virginia Jaramillo, Lloyd Kiva New, Willem de Kooning, Joan Mitchell, George Morrison, Noemí Ruiz, Zilia Sánchez, and Vaughn Spann.

On July 4, 2026, the U.S. commemorates and celebrates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. This historic milestone offers an opportunity to pause and reflect on this nation’s past, honor the contributions of Americans, and to look ahead toward the future we aspire to create for the next generation and beyond. The legacy of painterly abstraction in the U.S. offers a distinctive way to celebrate the creativity and innovation that defines the American spirit.

MOAD's programs are made possible with the support of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor, and the Board of County Commissioners. They are sponsored in part by the State of Florida Division of Arts and Culture, and with generous support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

The programs at the Freedom Tower, operated by the Museum of Art and Design (MOAD) at Miami Dade College (MDC), are made possible with the support
of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor, and the Board of County Commissioners. They are sponsored by the State of Florida Division of Arts and Culture, the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), with collections, exhibition, education, and marketing support provided by Art Bridges, ArtesMiami, the Shepard Broad Foundation, the Miami Downtown Development Authority (Miami DDA), Henry Luce Foundation, Jay I. Kislak Foundation, Mitchell Wolfson Sr. Foundation, and US Century Bank.

Image: Virginia Jaramillo, Sidereal Inscriptions #1-213 (detail), 1988. Linen fiber with hand ground earth pigments on paper. Image courtesy of the artist and Hales Gallery.