Kirk
Peter Halley
(American, born in 1953)
1992
Medium/TechniqueAcrylic, Day-glo acrylic, Roll-a-tex on canvas
Dimensions221 x 193 x 9.5 cm (87 x 76 x 3 3/4 in.)
Credit LineGift of the artist, Karen Sweet and Charlene Engelhard Troy
Accession number1992.481
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Since the mid-1980s, Halley has been making quasi-abstract paintings with compositions that allude to the work of earlier American modernist artists such as Josef Albers (1888-1976, see 66.23) and Frank Stella (b. 1936, see 1975.725). But Halley's use of motifs such as rectilinear forms, buildings, cells, barred windows and underground conduits lead towards a redefinition of geometric abstraction that both criticizes the use of pure geometric forms and are symbolic likenesses of the constructed modern environment. In this work, Halley's signature multi-textured surface and use of Day-Glo paint simulate the harsh visual excitement of contemporary electronic culture.
ProvenanceThe artist; to MFA, Boston, 1992Copyright© Peter Halley Courtesy: Mary Boone Gallery, New York