Studio Space

William T. Wiley, Studio Space, 1975, acrylic and charcoal on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of James A. and Marsha Perry Mateyka, 2018.19
Copied William T. Wiley, Studio Space, 1975, acrylic and charcoal on canvas, 83 × 80 3⁄4 in. (210.8 × 205.1 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of James A. and Marsha Perry Mateyka, 2018.19

Artwork Details

Title
Studio Space
Artist
Date
1975
Location
Dimensions
83 × 80 3⁄4 in. (210.8 × 205.1 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of James A. and Marsha Perry Mateyka
Mediums Description
acrylic and charcoal on canvas
Classifications
Subjects
  • Architecture Interior — studio
Object Number
2018.19
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/2018.19

Artwork Description

Studio Space is an oversized drawing of a densely cluttered artist's studio filled with painter's tools, sculptures, books, and furniture--a chaotic assemblage of objects that mirrors William T. Wiley's real-life studio.

A flat red square blocks entry into the room both visually and psychologically, creating a contrast between its stark geometry and the detailed rendering of the room. The two different types of images exist together, but their relationship is unclear. Is the artist proposing that one style is superior to the other? Or do they exist in some sort of harmony, like the controlled chaos of the studio space itself?