“Nigerian Smile,” crafted by Stanley Whitney in 2012, embodies the art movement known as Post-Painterly Abstraction and is classified within the abstract genre. This vivid piece is characterized by a grid-like arrangement of rectangles and squares, each filled with solid, vibrant colors. The composition presents a harmonious yet dynamic interplay of shades including black, pink, white, blue, orange, green, red, and others. The application of paint appears deliberate yet free, with some parts showing drips, suggesting a raw, unrefined emotion beneath the structured form. The artwork’s minimalist approach, coupled with its bold color palette, evokes a sense of both order and spontaneity, marking it as a quintessential example of Post-Painterly Abstraction.
