Pat Steir

Pat Steir’s large-scale paintings explore the balance between control and chance, often drawing from natural forces such as gravity and water. Known for her cascading “waterfall” compositions, the artist pours and layers diluted paint across the canvas, allowing it to flow freely while subtly guiding the process. Steir studied at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn and became associated with conceptual and feminist circles in New York in the 1970s, developing a practice influenced by Zen philosophy and Chinese ink painting. She has exhibited internationally in cities including New York, Paris, London, and Tokyo. Her work is held in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Tate, among many others.