The artwork “Bonne Bay” is an abstract piece created by artist Frank Stella in 1971, which is associated with the Color Field Painting movement. This genre is characterized by large areas of a solid color, aiming to evoke emotion through the use of color alone, often dispensing with complex compositions to focus on the purity of the color experience itself.
“Bonne Bay” showcases Frank Stella’s exploration of color relationships and spatial perceptions. The artwork consists of a composition that divided into two juxtaposed panels that mirror and yet contrast with, each other in their configuration of geometric forms and color. Soft pastel hues dominate the piece, creating a sense of harmony and softness. The geometric shapes – consisting of squares, rectangles, and elongated triangles or diamond-like forms – interlock and overlap, creating a sense of depth and interaction between the planes of color.
The arrangement of these forms and the color palette chosen by Stella imbues the artwork with a sense of balance and tranquility, hallmarks of the Color Field movement. The gentle gradients and boundaries between the colors are subtle, yet they guide the viewer’s sight through the artwork, encouraging a contemplative engagement with the piece’s form and hue.
