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Jeffrey Steele (1931–2021) was an abstract painter. In Paris (1959) he encountered the work of artists working in the mode of geometric abstraction, such as Victor Vasarely (1906–97), Max Bill (1908–94) and Josef Albers (1888–1976), and adopted a lifelong abstract approach. For eight years he worked purely in black and white and was identified with the Op-art movement.

Later in the 1970’s Steele was a founder member of the Systems group, another important movement in post-war British Abstract Art. Steele was a key protagonist but previously absent from the Sainsbury Centre Collection, although other members of the group are present. His work has been exhibited in London, Paris, New York, Milan, the Venice Biennale (1986), and elsewhere in Europe and the Americas. He has participated in more than 100 group exhibitions and had 17 one-man shows, the first at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London in 1961.

His works are in a number of public collections in the UK, including Tate Britain, the British Museum, the Victoria & Albert Museum, the National Museum of Wales in Cardiff, Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool, the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, and the Arts Council. This donation came about due to the interest in the Sainsbury Centre exhibition, Rhythm and Geometry and was included in the show.

Calvin Winner, April 2023