PRESS RELEASE
November 15, 2010 - January 9, 2011
Cabana Home, in collaboration with Edward Cella Art + Architecture, presents a solo exhibition of new steel sculptures by Southern California artist Michael Whiting. Constructed from welded steel and coated with bright automotive enamels, Whiting creates playful works inspired by the forms and imagery of early video gaming and computer graphics. Recognizing the extreme sparseness of forms inherent to the constraints of pixel-based technologies Whiting states, “In my visual experience Pac-man came before Donald Judd or Carl Andre. For me, Mondrian’s Broadway Boogie Woogie will always be an homage to Pac-man. My current work explores the visual connection between minimalism and early video games.”
Taking the square, or "pixel" as a building block for all technological innovations in the computer age, Whiting brings to life the forms initially rendered for early video games, creating a universe of relics from the not-too distant past. While computer gaming is now one of the most sophisticated and profitable creative sectors in society, it has lost much of the charm and slow-moving development that it started with only 30 or so years ago. Whiting is hyper-cognizant of this disparity and continues to produce seductive, simple forms that hearken back to a time when computer technology was just beginning to enter our everyday lives. That he is successful in both the public and private realms is no fluke: His entire output speaks to various levels of engagement and scale that finds interest at all levels.
The exhibition represents the artist’s Santa Barbara debut, and is distinctive as it features a large format, outdoor sculpture. It follows on the artist’s recent installation of major sculpture in public art collections including a new work for the Snohomish County Arts Commission in Washington state and of a major public artwork at the entrance to the River North Arts District in Denver, Colorado. Consequently, the exhibition engages on many levels and brings the community into dialogue with other American cities that have recently commissioned his colorful and playful large- scale works for public spaces.
Since receiving his MFA from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY in May of 2002, Mike Whiting has exhibited his innovative work in both group and solo exhibitions nationally. His Santa Barbara debut runs concurrently with his highly anticipated fourth exhibition at the critically recognized Plus Gallery in Denver, Colorado.
Michael Whiting, Recent Works, is the fifth in an on-going sequence of exhibitions organized by gallerist Edward Cella of Edward Cella Art + Architecture in collaboration with Caroline and Steven Thompson, principals of Cabana Home. Through regular presentation of new and notable contemporary artists in Santa Barbara, the ongoing series seeks to open a dialog between artists and collectors in Santa Barbara, Los Angeles and beyond.
Quick Info:
MICHAEL WHITING: SCULPTURES
EXHIBITION RUNS: November 15, 2010 through January 9, 2011
EXHIBTION HOURS: Monday through Saturday, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
WHERE: CABANA HOME
111 Santa Barbara Street
Santa Barbara, California
HOURS: Monday through Saturday, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
CONTACT:
Caroline Thompson, 805-962-0200
