Sam Francis (1923–94) was an American Abstract Expressionist who is known today for his vibrant explorations of color and light. Emerging as one of the leading figures in postwar American art, Francis developed an international reputation and produced thousands of works—paintings, prints, and monotypes—that are now housed in major collections worldwide. His influences were wide-ranging, from New York Abstract Expressionism and color field painting, to Japanese and Chinese art, French Impressionism, and the Bay Area of California, where he grew up.

After graduating with an art degree from the University of California, Berkeley in 1950, Francis moved to Paris, where he cultivated a friendship with Jean-Paul Riopelle, who was to remain an important influence, and also encountered the work of European masters such as Henri Matisse, Wassily Kandinsky, and the Surrealists. Their art left a lasting impact on Francis’ aesthetic sensibilities. Travelling extensively over the next forty years, Francis continuously reimagined his practice while expanding his visual language. His gestural, luminous style conveys intense emotions and a profound engagement with literature, music, and science—Francis invested in scientific research, explored creativity’s role across disciplines, and advocated for renewable energy and AIDS research. His legacy endures not only through his art, but also through the Sam Francis Foundation, which is “dedicated to the transformative power of art as a force for change.” 

Exhibitions and retrospectives of Francis’ work have been organized by The Museum of Modern Art, New York, New York; Art Institute of Chicago, Illinois; Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, New York; Los Angeles County Museum of Art, California; Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, France; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, California; Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo, Japan; and the Royal Academy of Arts, London, England, among others. Sam Francis' work is held in numerous prestigious public and private collections around the world, including the aforementioned institutions, as well as the Tate, London, England; Menil Collection, Houston, Texas; Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC; Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, Paris, France; Norton Simon Museum, Pasadena, California; and the Brooke and Bernard Osher Collection, among others. Francis’ first solo presentation at GRAY was in 1975. His work has been featured in various GRAY exhibitions since, including Monotypes, 1982; New Paintings, 1985; An Exhibition of Monotypes, 1994; Graphics & Works on Paper, 1995; Blue Forms, 1959-61, 1997; The Edge, 2000; and Forty Years, 2003.