Minimalist painter. b. 1930 in Nashville, TN. He quit his day job in 1961
to pursue painting, the same year he married art historian Lucy Lippard (whom
he later divorced). Ryman befriended many late 50s/early 60s minimalist artists
(softlinked below). Almost from the start of his career Ryman's work consisted
of monochrome white-on-white paintings. This is hardly original-- Kasimir
Malevich had made white-on-white paintings as early as 1918. However, Ryman
became the master of this form, exploring every facet of white-on-white painting
after most of his contemporaries had moved towards other forms. He created paintings
with a variety of media and surfaces including the usual oil on canvas but
also vinyl paint, metal, and applying paint directly to the wall. In 1972
Ryman had a solo exhibition at the New York Guggenheim Museum, cementing his
position as one of the most important artists of his generation. Ryman currently
lives in New York City and continues to produce his luminous (if somewhat
monotonous) work.