Stanley Whitney

American artist Stanley Whitney is recognized for his exploration of color in his abstract paintings, which feature unexpected cadences of space, rhythm, and color. Influenced by his African-American heritage and Abstract Expressionism, Whitney divides color fields into gridded blocks. He is known for his unique talent in creating energetic gestural lines. 

Biography of Stanley Whitney

Stanley Whitney, born in 1946 in Philadelphia, arrived in New York in the 1960s to create abstract paintings, despite the prevailing expectation for Black artists to depict African American life. Finding himself at odds with the city's cultural milieu, Whitney remained steadfast in his commitment to his artistic expression as a colorist.

Graduating from the Kansas City Art Institute with a BFA and later obtaining an MFA from Yale University, Whitney was influenced by artists such as Pollock, Matisse, Rothko, and Cezanne. Despite being largely overlooked by the New York art scene due to his refusal to compromise, Whitney continued to pursue his unique vision.

In the 1990s, he and his wife relocated to Italy, where he found a welcoming reception. Inspired by the intricate designs of Italian architecture, including the Pantheon and Colosseum, Whitney continued to develop his artistic practice.

Stanley Whitney gained widespread recognition from the American public after two concurrent exhibitions in 2015, one at Karma Gallery and the other at the Studio Museum. His painting "Light a New Wilderness" set a personal record at auction, selling for $700,000. His latest exhibition, "TwentyTwenty," at the Lisson Gallery in New York, drew inspiration from jazz music and the works of Edvard Munch. 

Whitney's work is held in collections worldwide, such as the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, the Yale University Art Gallery in New Haven, and the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City.

Residing and working in both New York City and Parma, Italy, Stanley Whitney continues to create and exhibit his vibrant abstract paintings.

Stanley Whitney's Art Style

In his early works, Stanley Whitney surrounded patches of color with empty space. Influenced by Roman architecture and art, he transitioned to more horizontal grids in his compositions, achieving a balance between geometry and color.

For over a decade, Whitney created while immersed in the jazz music of Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker, and Ornette Coleman, infusing rhythm and emotion into his work, which he likened to improvisation. His process begins with the first choice of color, which then guides the subsequent ones, leading to spontaneous improvisation. Whitney's artwork reflects a range of influences, from the compositions of Velázquez, Titian, and Minimalism to Southern quilts.