Is this a painting, or is it a sculpture?
This is the type of question museum patrons are faced with when they first encounter Charles Hinman’s Cascade (1965). When viewing a photograph of the artwork, it might quickly be taken for a painting. When viewed in person, however, the viewer is invited to experience and interact with the artwork from multiple angles. Hinman intentionally blurs the distinction between illusory and actual space.
Hinman’s Minimalist work is a rejection of the Abstract Expressionism that came before it. His works rely on the use of and interactions of color, light, and space, but what really set him apart from his contemporaries was his incorporation of three-dimensional wood structures. Hinman’s shaped canvases draw on the expert craftsmanship and mathematics Hinman employed as a woodworking instructor.
In Hinman’s art, the viewer’s experience is crucial to the overall understanding of the work. Come discover and decide for yourself if Cascade is a sculpture or a painting! This artwork is currently on display in the BYU MOA’s Off-Kilter, On Point: Art of the 1960s from Colorado State University exhibition until December 7, 2024.
This work is on loan to the MOA from the Gregory Alicar Museum of Art at Colorado State University.
