David Novros
Recent paintings and watercolors by David Novros will be on display at Paula Cooper Gallery from March 7 – April 25, 2026.
During a visit in 1963 to Europe, Novros visited painted places for the first time. They included the Alhambra in Granada, frescos by Fra Angelico, Giotto, and Piero della Francesco in Italy, Matisse’s studio in Nice, and the mosaics in Ravenna. On his return to the US, Novros began making portable murals that culminated with a fresco commissioned by Donald Judd in 1970 for the second floor of his home and studio in SoHo, now the Judd Foundation. The paintings in the current exhibition, all Untitled and dated 2024 or 2025, are part of this ongoing series.
Novros’s meticulous attention to the materiality of color informs intricate chromatic relationships that unfold within each work. In the recent paintings, right-angular panels interweave on darkly hued grounds. In one vertical, earth-toned work from 2025, panels are consecutively layered to impart a heightened sense of depth. An accompanying group of watercolors radiate with brilliant color relationships.
In Fall 2026, the Hamburger Kunsthalle, Germany, will open the most comprehensive exhibition of Novros's work to date (October 9, 2026 – February 27, 2027). Over 40 large-format paintings, copper reliefs, models, and works on paper will be presented across two levels of the Gallery of Contemporary Art. The exhibition is curated by Alexander Klar, and there will be a fully illustrated catalogue with essays by Klar, Toby Kamps, Matthew Levy, and Ifee Tack.
