Since the 1950s, Samia Halaby, a New York-based artist, has created abstract works influenced by historical artistic innovations, including Islamic art and architecture and the early 20th-century Russian Constructivist movement. In 1986, she acquired her first personal computer, a Commodore Amiga 1000, and remarked, “As an artist of my era, I must explore computing.” Halaby started crafting digital abstractions, which she called “kinetic paintings.” The five pieces shown here were made in her early years using the Amiga, as she taught herself the Basic and C programming languages: Rainycentralpark (1986), Constructivist 10 (1986), Niihau (1986), Weavings (1987), Land (1988). The five kinetic paintings have been coded on Commodore Amiga computer and transferred to 3K video. Vibrant shapes and colors expand, shrink, and rotate across the screens, often paired with digital chimes and whirling sounds. Through these dynamic elements of motion, time, and space, Halaby extends the boundaries of abstraction beyond the limitations of traditional canvas. Samia Halaby’s presentation is part of The Hyundai Card First Look series, which spotlights recent acquisitions to MoMA’s collection. The exhibition will be on display until November 9, 2025.

Samia Halaby: Kinetic Paintings / Museum of Modern Art, MoMA, New York. August 28, 2025.