The Menil Collection presents Foyer Installation: Mel Bochner, Chryssa, and Dorothy Hood, on view from April 1 through October 25, 2026, in the museum’s main building. Installed in the foyer, the exhibition brings together a focused selection of works from the institution’s permanent collection, offering visitors an encounter with three significant figures whose practices engage abstraction across different contexts and generations.

The presentation highlights the distinct yet interconnected artistic languages of Mel Bochner, Chryssa, and Dorothy Hood. Through works spanning the mid-20th century, the installation foregrounds key concerns within postwar abstraction, including the relationship between language and image, the materiality of mark-making, and the expressive potential of form. Positioned within a shared space, the works invite dialogue across practices that range from conceptual investigations to gestural and atmospheric painting.

Chryssa’s works, such as her large-scale Newspaper compositions, explore the visual and symbolic power of urban text and mass media, while Dorothy Hood’s paintings evoke expansive, cosmic landscapes shaped by color and movement. In contrast, Bochner’s contributions emphasize systems of measurement, language, and perception, challenging conventional definitions of drawing and visual representation. Together, these approaches reflect the breadth of abstraction in the postwar period and its ongoing resonance within contemporary discourse.

By situating these works within the museum’s foyer, the exhibition creates an accessible point of entry into the collection while encouraging close looking and reflection. Rather than a chronological survey, the installation operates as a concise curatorial gesture, bringing forward unexpected connections and affinities between artists. In doing so, it underscores the Menil’s commitment to presenting its holdings through dynamic and thought-provoking juxtapositions that invite renewed engagement with familiar works.