Jack Reilly: Abstract Paintings on Shaped Canvas

In 1980 Jack Reilly introduced his shaped canvas paintings. These new shaped pieces created what Reilly refered to as a "visual event" as the apperances of multiple layers of canvases and linear imagery interacted with the surrounding gallery environment. These works abandon traditional methods used to create visual depth in two-dimensional art, as linear perspective is replaced with the appearance of multiple light sources and illusionary shadows. The result is a visual paradox, as visual elements appear to be suspended over the flat surfaces ofthe gallery walls.