Gray Scramble (Single), VIII

Gray Scramble (Single), VIII — Frank Stella. 1968.

Medium: synthetic polymer paint on canvas. Dimensions: Framed: 175.2 x 175.2 x 7.5 cm (69 x 69 x 2 15/16 in.); Unframed: 175.2 x 175.2 cm (69 x 69 in.).

Collection record: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland. Museum connection according to this source; current display unverified.

Stella’s early paintings represent his reaction against the seemingly loose, gestural brushstroke associated with Abstract Expressionism. In Gray Scramble (Single), VIII, Stella combines bands of sequential values and of differing colors. In contrast to the depth created by the alternating light and dark bands of color, the uniformity of the paint surface emphasizes the two-dimensionality of the canvas. Using commercial paint and a house-painter’s brush, Stella carefully crafted his works to create an immediate visual impression of simplicity and monumentality. The strict geometry and crisp edges of the painted bands illustrate Stella’s desire for precision, whereas the resulting symmetry contributes to an “all-over” quality reminiscent of Jackson Pollock’s drip paintings.

Source: official collection record. Metadata selected and normalized by Artline from the source export, accessed 10 September 2026; no museum endorsement. Reproduction rights are separate.