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ADAA Art Show

March 5 – 9, 2014

Jack Whitten ADAA Art Show 2014

Jack Whitten
ADAA Art Show 2014
Installation view

Jack Whitten ADAA Art Show 2014

Jack Whitten
ADAA Art Show 2014
Installation view

Jack Whitten ADAA Art Show 2014

Jack Whitten
ADAA Art Show 2014
Installation view

Jack Whitten Sphink's Alley III (1975)

Jack Whitten
Sphink's Alley III (1975)
Acrylic on canvas; 73h x 84w in (185.4h x 213.4w cm)

Jack Whitten Sorcerer’s Apprentice (1974)

Jack Whitten
Sorcerer’s Apprentice (1974)
Acrylic on canvas; 88.3h x 50.5w in (224.3h x 128.3w cm)

Jack Whitten Beta Group (1976)

Jack Whitten
Beta Group (1976)
Acrylic on canvas; 40h x 67.5w in (101.6h x 171.5w cm)

Jack Whitten Untitled II, 1974-1975

Jack Whitten
Untitled II, 1974-1975
Acrylic on canvas; 41.8h x 41.8w in (106.2h x 106.2w cm)

Jack Whitten STA Alpha I (1978)

Jack Whitten
STA Alpha I (1978)
Acrylic on canvas; 16h x 16w in (40.6h x 40.6w cm)

Jack Whitten Untitled Study #5 (1972)

Jack Whitten
Untitled Study #5 (1972)
Pastel on paper; 20h x 26w in (50.8h x 66w cm)

Jack Whitten Dispersal A #1 (1971)

Jack Whitten
Dispersal A #1 (1971)
Dry pigment in Ac33 on paper; 20.1h x 17.6w in (51.1h x 44.7w cm)

Jack Whitten Study for Omalos #4 (1974)

Jack Whitten
Study for Omalos #4 (1974)
Toner on Paper; 25.8h x 19w in (65.5h x 48.3w cm)

Jack Whitten Study for Greek Alphabet Series #3 (1977)

Jack Whitten
Study for Greek Alphabet Series #3 (1977)
Graphite, colored pencil, and whiting on paper; 17h x 19.5w in (43.2h x 49.5w cm)

Jack Whitten Future Beta Series I (1977)

Jack Whitten
Future Beta Series I (1977)
Collage and acrylic slip on paper; 15.6h x 13.4w in (39.6h x 34w cm)

Press Release

Art Dealers Association of America
Park Avenue Armory
Park Avenue at 67 Street
New York, NY
Booth A9

Alexander Gray Associates featured 1970s works by Jack Whitten, which embody a key moment in the formal development of Whitten’s work.

Through the 1970s, Whitten’s aesthetic decisions turned toward abstraction and his process exemplified a desire to stretch the limits of paint as medium. Whitten’s non-relational abstract paintings of this period experiment with horizontality as an extension of gesture, with keen interest in exploring the potential for speed and automation, with acrylic as his muse. Working collaboratively with paint manufacturers and activating his knowledge in science and carpentry, Whitten developed new formulations of paint and new methods of painting—implementing tools like squeegees, rakes, and Afro combs—dragging large amounts of acrylic polymers across the canvas with a single gesture.

Beta Group (1976), from Whitten’s Greek Alphabet Series, and Sphink’s Alley III (1975) are triumphs of this process. Investigations of space, paintings such as these break away from traditional concepts of depth and void embedded in traditional two-dimensional compositions, while remaining committed to working within the limitations of the picture plane. Whitten’s works on paper, particularly Study for Greek Alphabet Series (1976), illustrate his process in formation, providing insight into the experimentation at the core of the larger-scale canvases.

Jack Whitten’s innovative process resulted in dense surfaces of rich textures amplified by ghosted geometric forms. As in photography or printmaking, tools are employed to generate a transformative effect upon the surface in a matter of seconds. An enigmatic image of this process, Whitten’s paintings from this period capture the motion, immediacy, and fluidity of Whitten's technique while remaining static, as if stalling time.

About Art Dealers Association of America's Art Show 2014
Gallery presentations at the 26th annual Art Show features thoughtfully curated solo, two-person, and thematic exhibitions by 72 of the leading U.S. art dealers. The Art Show takes place at the historic Park Avenue Armory, with a ticketed Gala Preview on Tuesday, March 4. All ticket proceeds from the gala and run of show benefit Henry Street Settlement, one of New York City’s most effective social services agencies.