Capsule Reviews

Robert Ryman Though working with an economy of means, Ryman's cup runneth over. Ryman has been painting white squares in various sizes and formats with innovative modes of installation for 50 years. This might sound humdrum, but it's not. You'll want to return to this show to peruse and scrutinize: to let the white hues of his surfaces soothingly wash over you and to study the relationship each piece has to the wall behind. Certain pieces, like the acrylic-on-vinyl rectangles of "Philadelphia Prototype," hug the walls. Ryman mounted each of the 10 pieces that make up the work directly onto the wall by using paint as an adhesive. Others float both low and high above the wall. The intellectual tension between surface and structure is more than piquing. But fascination here arises from the way he achieves so much from such minimal means. The following statement from Ryman says it all: "I wanted to paint the paint, you might say." Through April 2 at the Dallas Museum of Art, 1717 N. Harwood St., 214-922-1200. Reviewed February 16. (Charissa N. Terranova)