Paul Feeley (1910-1966)

Paul Feely painted Sybaris, and example of his emblematic, symmetrical color solids, in 1963, a year considered one of the most productive and groundbreaking of his career. After years of working with Abstract Expressionists, Paul Feeley finally established his own distinct voice, independent of the prevailing expressionist style, but equally astounding.

The simple forms and bright red and blue colors, presented in Sybaris, are fundamental elements in Paul Feeley's work from the late 1950s and early 1960s. Throughout his work, the artist found inspiration in ancient cultures. In Sybaris, Feeley references the ancient Greek city which in the 6th Century B.C. was so great, that its reputation was synonymous with pleasure and luxury.

The calm structure of this painting's composition reverberates in its restrained force. Sybaris, is almost the opposite of the lavish release of paint from the Abstract Expressionists, moving closer towards the Minimalist aesthetic.