BEYOND – an exhibition that challenges the boundaries of painting
At NISO Gallery in London from March 13 to May 10, 2025
NISO gallery in London presents BEYOND, an exhibition that redefines painting as an expanding field, pushing beyond the canvas, beyond the object, and beyond its own history. Matter, form, and space are redefined in a radical exploration bridging tradition and contemporaneity. Featuring a selection of artists who explore the boundaries of pictorial practice, BEYOND presents a deep investigation into materiality, form, and space, establishing a dialogue between tradition and contemporary approaches. Curated by Nicolás Sorbac and Christian Domínguez, this exhibition brings together artists from different generations who have taken painting beyond its conventional structure, transforming it into a spatial, sculptural, and conceptual experience.
The exhibition will be open from March 13 to May 10, 2025, with a program of events, guided tours, and artist talks to expand its reach and reflection.
Since its origins, painting has been a pursuit, an attempt to capture the ephemeral and grasp the intangible. But it has never been static. BEYOND explores this constant transition through two conceptual axes:
Longitudinal Axis – Materiality, Form, and Space
Materiality: Painting as a living substance, with artists exploring textures, accumulations, and the physicality of the medium.
Form: Works that break with two-dimensionality, folding, perforating, and expanding the canvas.
Space: Paintings that extend beyond their support, interacting with architecture and the viewer.
Transversal Axis – Tradition vs. Contemporaneity Legacy and rupture:
References to historical milestones in art that resonate with contemporary painting.
Expansion of pictorial language: How painting persists in a world saturated with digital imagery and redefines its role in the present.
The history of painting is not a straight line but a collection of deviations, unfinished gestures, and open possibilities. BEYOND revisits these paths, offering a reflection on its evolution and its future.
BEYOND brings together a group of artists whose works expand the limits of painting:
Bram Bogart. Untitled, 1998. Ceramic. 42 x 44 x 7 cm / Courtesy of the artist; NISO, London
Bram Bogart (1950 – 2010) – Extreme materiality, where painting becomes a dense, sculptural body.
Ernesto Burgos. Legs of Stone, 2023. Fiberglass, resin, wood, cardboard, charcoal,
oil paint. 122 x 91 x 15 cm / Courtesy of the artist; The Sunday Painter, London
Ernesto Burgos (b. 1979)– A fusion of sculpture and painting in deconstructed compositions.
Otis Jones. Black with Four Circles, Two
partially Hidden, 2022. Acrylic on linen on wood. 76 x 68,5 x 13 cm / Courtesy of the artist; Sorry Sorry We're Closed, Brussels
Otis Jones (b. 1946)– Material explorations that challenge traditional formats.
Imi Knoebel. Love Child Stacy, 2022. Acrylic on brass. 117.5 x 127.7 x 0.1 cm / © DACS 2025. Photo © White Cube (Theo Christelis)
Imi Knoebel (b. 1940) – Geometry and color in a radical investigation of the pictorial object.
Steven Parrino. Untitled, 2004. Aluminium acrylic on canvas. 122 x 91 x 12 cm
Steven Parrino (1958 – 2005) – Collapsing painting, twisted canvases, and aggressive physicality.
Martina Quesada. Lectura de una aparición y una
huída, 2022. Pigment, paper, glass and
wood. 40 x 340 cm / Courtesy of the artist; Piloto Pardo, London; NISO, London
Martina Quesada (b. 1987) – Manipulation of the frame and the painting’s structure as key elements.
Mateo Revillo. Teatro, 2024. Encaustic and casein paint on
cement and plasterboard, wood. 120 x 480 cm / Courtesy of the artist; NISO, London
Mateo Revillo (b. 1993) – Geometric and spatial research in the pictorial support.
Richard Smith. Salon for HH, 1980. Acrylic on canvas. 167.6 x 152.4 cm / Courtesy of the Richard Smith Estate; Vardaxoglou, London
Richard Smith (1931 – 2016) – Tensions and structures that expand the idea of the canvas.
Amanda Ziemele. Funnel, 2024. Oil on Canvas. 234 x 170 x 60 cm / Courtesy of the artist; NISO, London / Photo: Liga Spunde
Amanda Ziemele (b. 1990) – Expansion of color and form in relation to perception and space.
NISO Gallery is a contemporary art space in London dedicated to exploring artistic practices that challenge traditional boundaries. With a strong curatorial focus and a commitment to research in painting, sculpture, and installation, NISO aims to position itself as a platform for artists working at the intersection of tradition and the avant-garde.
