From the relatively sedate midtown gallery scene to the circus of celebrity vulgarity that is a typical Thursday night in Chelsea, the evidence of a vibrant and active art world in New York City seems to continue unabated, even as the markets and most artists’ sales might otherwise indicate to the contrary.

At Spanierman Modern on 58th Street, the current exhibition features paintings and works on paper

from the 1950s by Charlotte Park, an artist of surprising strength and power whose work is even more effective for the fact that it is still so relatively under-appreciated.

Highlighted by a rhythmic balance between color and brush strokes, the works throughout the exhibition exemplify Ms. Park’s understanding of compositional structure, which is extremely refined and thoughtfully constructed. Still, the works are never absent the spark of spontaneity and simplicity.

Reviewing what I wrote of her exhibition at the Spanierman space in East Hampton a few years ago, I realized that the same observations still apply. As noted then, Ms. Park’s “paintings and drawings are profoundly engaging with a powerful use of color, texture, and rhythm. Adhering to basic principles of Abstract Expressionism in her use of gestural forms that dominate her compositions, the paintings strike a unique chord in their overt lyricism and gentle though completely assertive juxtaposition of planes, shapes, and images.”

This is particularly apparent in “Initiation” (oil on canvas, mid 1950s) which uses a vibrant orange field as a backdrop that glows with a deep intensity while the foreground is dominated by an arrangement of architectonic brush strokes anchoring the composition.

A sense of structure bereft of any sense of perspective or shadowing is further enhanced by the painterly slashes in the lower right that create a calligraphic sensation of fluttering motion.

This rhythmic use of brush strokes to impart both concrete structure and ethereal movement is also apparent in other works, such as “#25” (oil on canvas, 1951) and “Untitled (Black and Gray II)” (circa 1950s). This effect is especially notable in the latter work, which is, despite its diminutive size, reminiscent of Franz Kline’s larger works in its energetic brush strokes, and which also echoes the ink brush master Toko Shinada’s eloquent use of space.

The exhibition of Charlotte Park’s paintings from the 1950s continues at Spanierman Modern on 58th Street through February 2.