B 179 1964

Tadasky made B 179 using airbrush on canvas. The circle is a common motif in art, but here it seems to question the institutional conventions of abstract painting. This was produced during a time of growing reaction against Abstract Expressionism, and Tadasky's hard-edged, geometric abstraction offers a different approach to non-representational art, leaning towards Pop Art, which also favored clean lines. The smooth, almost mechanical finish, achieved through the use of an airbrush, stands in contrast to the gestural brushwork of Abstract Expressionism. The composition challenges the viewer's perception through its use of light and shadow, which makes it hard to know whether this shape bulges outwards or inwards. This visual ambiguity raises questions about the nature of perception and representation, which were being discussed in academic journals at the time. Art history gives us the tools to see how art reflects, reinforces, or challenges social norms and institutions.