British artist Alexander James presents *Dissecting the Square*, a new exhibition at Phillips Gallery in Hong Kong, running until 31 May 2026. The show features a series of paintings, sculptures, and installations that explore the square as a geometric form, inspired by a moment when sunlight dissected an empty canvas in his studio. James divides canvases into quadrants, creating works that balance order and disruption. The exhibition also includes Josef Albers’ *Homage to the Square: In Time* (1967) and a sculpture by Sean Scully, placing James’s practice in dialogue with art historical precedents.
This exhibition matters because it reopens a foundational question in modern art—whether the square, a shape long explored by figures like Albers, Malevich, and Judd, still holds untapped creative potential. James pushes beyond strict abstraction, allowing figurative traces and emotional resonance to emerge from geometric frameworks, suggesting that even the most elemental artistic structures can yield new territories. The show also highlights the ongoing relevance of Hong Kong as a venue for international contemporary art, with Phillips Gallery serving as a platform for emerging and established voices.