Peter Halley creates fluorescent, diagramatic paintings suffused with social commentary. His circuit board-like canvases connect regimented arrangements of rectangles with precise, perpendicular lines. Alluding to what he calls the “geometrisation of modern life,” Halley observes parallels between the structures of electronic networks, prison cells and city planning. Dazzling neon palettes echo those used in eye-catching advertisements, and are rendered using industrial paints such as Roll-a-Tex and Day-Glo. Seamless surfaces, achieved using rollers rather than brushes, intentionally erase any...
Bio
Peter Halley (he/him) was born in 1953 in New York, USA, where he continues to live and work.
Collections
Halley’s paintings appear in the collections of major institutions including Tate, Whitney, Guggenheim and MoMA.
Did you know?
In addition to a prolific painting career, Halley is also a renowned critical writer – specifically for his work on the digital revolution. He is also an educator, previously Director of Graduate Studies in Painting and Printmaking at Yale School of Art. Robert Nava cites him as a formative influence.