Liza Lou in, 2021-22

in (2021-22) belongs to a group of new paintings by the LA-based artist Liza Lou in which she methodically draws a sequence of circular shapes across gesso- covered canvases. Forming gently undulating patterns that seem to fade in and out of view, Lou’s pared-back monochrome paintings build on the legacy of Minimalism with an added temporal, endurance element. Lou has explored a minimalist aesthetic in previous works such as Waves, which is composed of square white cloths. Here, however, the artist engages with a mode of making that finds roots within a feminist engagement with Minimalism, like predecessors such as Agnes Martin or Bridget Riley, one anchored in repetition, labour, and duration. Lou painstakingly purls together hand-drawn shapes to form a large graphite tapestry. But the artist’s meticulous sequences of ovals also recall the strings of glass beads used to create her celebrated large-scale installations and sculptures. At the time, Lou’s practice was community-driven, working with groups of women to weave together the works. Now her approach is more solitary as she works alone in the studio. Following along with Lou’s hand, the new canvases become a space of contemplation that invites us into a meditation on making.