"I wanted to draw attention to this geometric, rationalized, quantified world." -Peter Halley
Throughout his career, Peter Halley (b. 1953, New York) has developed a vocabulary derived from geometric abstraction that reflects the contemporary world. His works are inhabited by "prisons", "cells" and "conduits", the result of a personal interpretation of New York society in the 80s and the advent of technology. This vocabulary is used by Peter Halley in all his paintings.
Peter Halley has developed a reflection on the alienation of contemporary society, whose members live in cramped spaces (cells or prisons) interconnected by a system of circuits (conduits) encompassing pipes, chimneys, electrical installations and the Internet. The geometric compositions are characterized by an apparent simplicity that makes it tempting to follow the lines of the conduits.
Yet, with a sense of humor, the artist sometimes decides to cut the connections, adding to the absurdity of contemporary society. The bright, often fluorescent colors create vibrant paintings that convey a joyful vision of the world.
Peter Halley's work has been the subject of numerous recent exhibitions, including at the MUDAM in Luxembourg (2023), the Dallas Contemporary (2021), the Schirn Kunsthall in Frankfurt (2016) and the Musée d'art moderne et contemporain in Saint Etienne (2014). Many institutions have works by Peter Halley in their collections: the MoMA in New York, the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, the Tate in London and the Centre Pompidou in Paris.
