Conrad Marca-Relli American, 1913-2000

Conrad Marca-Relli’s paintings and collages evoke architecture and the figure through intersecting abstract shapes. Working initially as a painter of surrealistic carnival scenes and cityscapes, he later came into contact with Abstract Expressionists like Willem de Kooning, which ushered in a dramatic shift in his practice towards purer abstraction. While still retaining an interest in architecture and urban landscape, Marca-Relli experimented with abstract collage, integrating figural elements made from textiles, drawings, metals, and plastics: this would become the defining practice of his career (via Artsy).