Sevil Dolmacı Istanbul is proud to announce the first exhibition of American artist Peter Halleyin Istanbul. The exhibition, which bears Halley's name, will take place from September 13 to October 30, 2024 and will include 15 new works created exclusively in the artist's New Yorkstudio.
Peter Halley (b. 1953) has developed a unique artistic style through an in-depth study of a wide range of cultural sources. He has been influenced by movements such as Pop Art, Minimalism, Picasso, Matisse, historical Islamic art and 1970s French critical theory.
As a young artist, Halley traveled to Mexico, Central America, Morocco and Europe, discovering an interest in non-Western art and questioning its norms in relation to the European artistic tradition. While pursuing her graduate studies in NewOrleans, she developed a particular interest in Islamic art and civilization, which is reflected in the gouache watercolors on paper she produced in 1977 and 1978. His graduate studies were greatly influenced by Persian miniatures and the complex geometry of Islamic ceramics, which he first saw at the Alcazarin Cordoba, Spain. From a certain perspective, as an abstract artist, he also embraced the Abrahamic tradition, which forbids the representation of nature.
In 2013, Peter Halley accepted a commission to create a series of paintings for Mottahedan Projects, reflecting the simple geometry of the Kaabain Dubai. Halley was fascinated by the geometry of this sacred structure and found this influence both in 20th century minimalism and in his own work.
Peter Halley moved to New YorkCity after receiving his MFA (Master of Fine Arts) from the University of New Orleans. In the early 1980s, he consolidated his mature style and became a central figure in the Neo-Conceptual Movementthat emerged in New York City's East Village art galleries. This group included artists such as Gretchen Bender, Sarah Charlesworth, Jeff Koons, Annette Lemieux, Steven Parrino, Haim Steinbach and Phillip Taaffe. Halley played a decisive role in revitalizing abstract paintingin the 1980s. He argued that geometric abstraction was not merely a self-referential form, but a mode of expression linked to the rapid industrialization and "geometricization" of social space in the 20th century. He also challenged the widespread view that geometric painting had a spiritual goal, as seen in artists such as Barnett Newman and Brice Marden. Halley tried to use geometric abstraction as a critique of the structures of contemporary life, arguing that individuals are increasingly isolated in their own "boxes" (such as the automobile and the computer screen) and can only connect with each other through physical and electronic structures created by powerful entities (such as highways and the internet).
He developed this idea through a simple visual pun that redefines the square not as an ideal form but as a unit of "prison". He described the rigid geometric forms in his paintings as "cells" and "prisons", while the colored lines connecting them have been labeled "channels". In recent years, many critics have noted that the structure of Halley's paintings anticipates the dynamics of the internet and the worldwide web. While critical, Halley's bright fluorescent colors embody the turbulent energy of the new digital world. His work is often playful, and his use of Roll-a-Texparodies the construction techniques of typical American suburban housing.
At the same time, Halley's work expresses his deep affection for earlier abstract artists, often referencing artists such as Ellsworth Kelly, Barnett Newman and Frank Stella. In a lecture about Halley's work in 2014, Frank Stellasaid: "The fiery images echoing from the paintings are as free and uninhibited as painted visual images. Their intensity and optical and tactile appeal create a visual excitement that is truly marvelous."
In the 1980s, Peter Halley gained a prominent place in art, not only as an artist, but also through his writings on culture and art. He linked the ideas of French post-structuralist theorists to the digital revolution and the visual arts. In the 1990s, Halley pioneered multimedia installations using wall-sized digital prints. He also founded and published Index magazine from 1996 to 2005. The magazine provided comprehensive artistic content in the fields of art, film, fashion and music, with interviews with leading and emerging artists. From 2002-2011, Halley was the Graduate Director of Painting at the Yale University School of Fine Arts.
Peter Halley's works are in the collections of some of the world's most prestigious museums, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Hamburger Bahnhof of the National Gallery in Berlinand Tate Modern.
Peter Halley lives and works in New YorkCity.
