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
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?

Works by this artist (1036 items)

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William H. Johnson, Breakdown with Flat Tire, ca. 1940-1941, oil on plywood, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Harmon Foundation, 1967.59.587
Breakdown with Flat Tire
Artist
Dateca. 1940-1941
oil on plywood
On view
William H. Johnson, Chain Gang, ca. 1939, oil on plywood, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Harmon Foundation, 1967.59.675
Chain Gang
Artist
Dateca. 1939
oil on plywood
On view
William H. Johnson, Ferry Boat Trip, ca. 1943-1944, oil on paperboard, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Harmon Foundation, 1967.59.1011
Ferry Boat Trip
Artist
Dateca. 1943-1944
oil on paperboard
On view
William H. Johnson, For India and China, ca. 1944-1945, oil on paperboard, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Harmon Foundation, 1967.59.662
For India and China
Artist
Dateca. 1944-1945
oil on paperboard
On view

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