Publications
Peer Reviewed
Frank Stella’s early works, often seen as flat and anti-illusionist, paradoxically create a ‘projective space’—appearing to extend toward the viewer. This paper examines how his use of unprimed canvas, reflective surfaces, and fluorescent paint (1959–1986) generates this effect, challenging his own rejection of illusionism and redefining spatial perception in painting.
Stefanie De Winter and Hannah De Corte.
ART & PERCEPTION
In collaboration with the Van Abbemuseum, we conducted an eye-tracking and questionnaire study on the perception of three Frank Stella paintings from the 1960s. By comparing original works (Tuxedo Park Junction, Effingham I) and a hand-painted Hiraqla Variation II replica (with and without fluorescent colors), we assessed whether they aligned with Stella’s Modernist logic (all-overness, flatness, instantaneousness, self-referentiality). The results show that all-overness was strongest in Effingham and Hiraqla, while depth perception emerged in Tuxedo and the fluorescent Hiraqla replica. Fluorescent colors drew more fixations, yet material qualities were rarely identified, questioning Stella’s goal of self-referentiality.
Stefanie De Winter and Johan Wagemans.
GESTALT THEORY
This article explores colour and space in the works of Frank Stella and Pieter Vermeersch. While Stella’s Modernist approach emphasizes flat, non-illusionistic art, Vermeersch enhances spatial and temporal experience through immersive installations. We analyze key works and their perception in four empirical studies, including lab experiments and museum-based eye-tracking research.
Johan Wagemans, Stefanie De Winter and Christopher Linden.
MICROCHEMICAL JOURNAL
Seventy years after artists like Frank Stella and Andy Warhol began using Daylight Fluorescent Pigments (DFPs), their conservation remains challenging due to proprietary formulations and limited manufacturer data. This study shifts focus from dye identification to resin characterization, using ATR-FTIR, SPME-GC-MS, and XRF to analyze historical and modern DFPs. Our findings improve classification of resin polymers and aid in developing preventive conservation strategies for fluorescent artworks.
Stefanie De Winter (joint first author), Alba Alvarez Martín (joint first author), Gert Nuyts, Joen Hermans, Koen Janssens, Geert Van der Snickt.
ART & PERCEPTION
Frank Stella used Day-Glo alkyd paints to enhance the instantaneous capturability of his striped designs, yet the impact of fluorescence on this concept remains underexplored. In a short-exposure identification task (8–12 ms), participants generally recognized designs quickly, supporting Stella’s idea. However, fluorescence effects varied: red/yellow combinations improved recognition, while green/orange performed better in conventional colors. Luminance contrast and display limitations may explain these differences, highlighting complexities in Stella’s pursuit of instantaneous art.
Stefanie De Winter, Nathalie Vissers, Christophe Bossens and Johan Wagemans.
This paper examines Frank Stella’s shift to fluorescent colors, a rarely explored aspect of his work. By tracing its evolution from self-referential household paints to metallics and eventually Day-Glo, we contextualize this shift within his artistic discourse. We analyze the material and visual effects of his fluorescent works through phenomenology, vision science, and short-exposure experiments. Finally, we assess how Stella’s DayGloification influenced perceptions of time and illusion, reconsidering 1960s art criticism in light of these findings.
Stefanie De Winter.
ART & PERCEPTION
Although Frank Stella aimed for flat, illusion-less compositions in his Irregular Polygons, viewers often perceive color depth illusions, especially through fluorescent-conventional color interactions. This study examines depth perception in artists, art historians, and laypeople, revealing that fluorescent colors appear strongly protruding, while conventional colors do not. When fluorescents were replaced with conventional variants, perceived depth significantly decreased. Despite minor contrast effects noted by artists, overall depth ratings were consistent across groups, highlighting fluorescence as a key factor in Stella’s unintended spatial illusions.
Stefanie De Winter, Pieter Moors, Hilde Van Gelder, Johan Wagemans.
Modern artists increasingly use non-traditional materials, posing new conservation challenges. This research focuses on fluorescent pigments and paints, first adopted in the 1960s, whose aging process and preservation remain poorly understood. Since many fluorescent works are designed for UV light exposure, retouching damages creates aesthetic issues, as repairs remain visible under UV. This study examines paint composition, UV-induced degradation, and potential conservation strategies to better preserve these artworks while maintaining the artist’s intent.
Stefanie De Winter.
Dissertation
This dissertation examines the role and visual effects of daylight fluorescent (DayGlo) paints in Frank Stella’s 1960s works. The first part develops a theoretical framework, extracting the Modernist logic of Greenberg, Stella, and Fried, tracing Stella’s evolution from the Black Paintings to his fluorescent turn (1964–1970). It explores how Stella’s concept of self-referentiality shifted with the Moroccan, Persian, Irregular Polygons, and Protractor series.The second part presents empirical studies on fluorescent pigments, perception, and illusionism. In collaboration with University of Antwerp, the material composition of DayGlo pigments was analyzed. Further perceptual experiments with KU Leuven tested color depth effects, instantaneous capturability, and real-world observation using eye-tracking studies at Van Abbemuseum (Tracking Frank Stella exhibition). Findings reveal that fluorescent colors often create spatial illusions, contradicting Stella’s anti-illusionist claims and challenging Modernist assumptions about uniform perception.The dissertation introduces 'empirically informed art history', an interdisciplinary methodology that integrates scientific methods to adjudicate art historical debates, highlight perceptual complexities, and expose individual differences in the experience of art.
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