A Color Masterclass with Karen Rifas at LnS Gallery

Karen Rifas, “1162,” 2019, acrylic on paper, 96 x 192 inches is one of the featured works at LnS Gallery. (Photo by Erin Parish)

On view at LnS Gallery in Coconut Grove is an exhibition of bold, joyous works by Karen Rifas that balance beauty with restraint. Spanning 2016 to 2026, by the artist born in Chicago, the paintings offer a masterclass in color theory. The show has a site-specific mural as well as paintings on paper, her chosen medium.

In the entryway, the left wall holds a single monochromatic painting. The work, titled “0346” (2016), operates entirely in grayscale, implying the light and shadow of a dimensional form. Straight ahead stands a site-specific mural.

“0346,” 2016, acrylic on Arches hot pressed 140-lb. paper, 45 x 45 inches
(Photo courtesy of LnS Gallery)

To the right hangs the single painting that most clearly references architecture and normative illusionistic space, dating from 2025 and titled “9470.” A gray rhomboid appears as the rooftop of a simple house, and one may interpret the placement of elements as representational from there.

The floor to ceiling mural is in the central room, a special project space at the heart of the gallery. This room often presents a unique iteration of an artist’s work developed in collaboration with the gallery. Rifa’s three-sided mural is in her typical style of tight Geometric Abstraction.

“I YOU ME,” 2026, water-based paint on wall, site specific room installation (185 inches in length x 102 inches in depth) created by the artist for this exhibition.
(Photo courtesy of LnS Gallery)

The wall piece is an opportunity to experience Rifa’s work as bodily immersive, to relate the shapes in relation to one’s own stature. This is an approach customary in much Geometric Abstraction from the 1950s and onward. At a distance the forms can be read as letters. This is no coincidence and title the of the piece is “I YOU ME.” This is a departure from the typical titling of work in this show which are numbered, specifically unevocative and democratic.

Along the right wall, further into the gallery space, is a specific pairing of one of her customary works and a small deckle-edge piece that floats in its frame. The pairing suggests a mother and child with the inquiry of  whether one stems from the other.

The smaller piece is markedly more complex and cooler in its colors. The deckle edge of the paper, organic and torn by hand, is in conscious contrast to the rest of the works, announcing the importance of such a choice. It is the single instance in the exhibition where a hard edge is not chosen. Within the diminutive work she otherwise maintains her geometry, not tarrying into Organic Abstraction, the other side of the coin of Geometric Abstraction.

Installation, at left, “9467,” 2017 acrylic on Arches hot pressed 140-lb paper 45 x 45 inches. Above right, “2948,” 2024 high flow acrylic on Arches paper. 8 x 8 inches. (Photo by Erin Parish)

Rifas’ works are dynamic and appear as if they are folding simultaneously into themselves and outwards, origami-like. This effect is achieved through an extraordinarily careful use of color: cold pinky orange meets warm green, which is then dominated by fuchsia, for example. This sets up a power-play, the strength of which may come as a surprise to the viewer. The movement within the compositions recalls the rhythms of the natural world rather than industry.

Her carefully calibrated greens, oranges and pinks are of tropical origin and thereby announce themselves as unrelated to the canon of Geometric Abstraction dominated by the muted hues or limited primary colors prevalent in works from, or of, European influence.

One can imagine verdant gardens punctuated by contrasting colors common to flowers — a sharp and warm yellow triangle as perhaps in reference to the late day sun on a yard. These are simplified versions of an experience and a celebration of the local flora. This creates an intensely focused visual experience; the moment one can see the sublime vibrations of color meeting color.

“9470,” 2025, acrylic on Arches hot pressed 140-lb. paper, 45 x 45 inches. (Photo by Erin Parish)

Here revel in the purity of color, specifically untied to the world but carrying the endless nuance of memory. For example, the variety of pinks, a color frequently associated with Miami, evokes nostalgia — fresh, muted and vibrant, it demands attention while demurring to other colors.

The other works in the show are labeled by number, an approach typical to works of artists who don’t want to step into titling and the specificity of words. This leaves the subjects as purely visual, not tied to content or orthography, the conventions of writing, in the case of the mural.

The gallery has dimmed lights for this exhibition, museum style. This intentional choice highlights the artwork, drawing the viewer in to investigate. At first glance, the works resemble cut paper because of their pristine lines and absence of visible brushstroke, a conscious omission of the artist’s hand. However, each shape is painted with perfection utilizing masking tape as a tool; the surface is brushed clean, devoid of the indication of the process. While many artists make artwork which exposes the working process, Rifas anonymizes her brush work. The artist asserts her prowess through color and cadence.

The simple construction in “0708” from 2020 is reminiscent of 1980s design in pop culture, a take-off on the geometry of the 1950s seen in the fins of cars and futuristic design. This is a developmental outgrowth from Art Deco, which is tied implicitly to Miami. With its orange and turquoise, it brings to mind colors often associated with Miami and the team colors of the Miami Dolphins.

“0708,” 2020, acrylic on Arches hot pressed 140-lb. paper, 45 x 45 inches.
(Photo by Erin Parish)

Rifas’ paintings are a response to the visual world of South Florida through a minimalist’s lens. They sit easy on the eyes and seem to reference the underlying aesthetic history of Miami’s 20^th century.

The artist uses sumptuous 140-pound hot pressed paper, a particularly lovely and luxurious material on which to paint. Her ever expanding and contracting color shapes are a joyous experience to behold, so separate from much Miami art which is influence by the personal politics of the moment. They are timeless, a visual love letter to our local tropical bounty, yet Rifas leaves the interpretation up to the viewer, a tenant of abstraction.

Viewing the artwork from a distance and then subsequently inspecting the object closely, even some inches from its surface, is rewarding. Each element in Rifa’s works is carefully considered in its relationship to the adjacent shapes and colors as well as the overall impression of the work. It is complex and coloristically subtle. These works do not contain the typical coldness of Geometric Abstraction, but rather the warmth of the sun.

WHAT: Karen Rifas: paper. color. lines.

WHERE: LnS Gallery , SW 28th Lane, Miami

WHEN: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday through Friday; noon to 5 p.m., Saturday; Sunday and Monday by appointment. Through Saturday, March 21.

COST: Free

INFORMATION: (305) 781-6164 and LnsGallery.com

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