Jay Milder

Abstract figures of animals and humans emerge in these expressive interpretations of biblical stories. Jay Milder made many biblical vignettes on canvas in the 1960s, creating a sense of mysticism by using thick layers of paint. The artist saw negative space as spiritual and symbolic, so his figures often merge into swirls, half-hidden or only partially revealed. Many of the animals have human-like expressions, adding another layer of emotion to Milder’s paintings.

–Wai Yee Chiong, associate curator of Asian art