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 34 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
Date
1975
Dimensions
83 × 80 34 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

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 (98 items)

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
Studio Space
Date1975
acrylic and charcoal on canvas
On view
Torturer
Date1989
color etching
Not on view
Eerie Grotto Okini
Date1982
color woodcut
Not on view