William Steiger: Destination

Holly Johnson Gallery is pleased to announce the opening of Destination, by the internationally acclaimed New York artist, William Steiger. An opening reception for the artist will be held Saturday, October 18th, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. The exhibition continues through November 15th, 2008.

William Steiger continues to explore topics of landscape, architecture and evolvement of the early 20th century in this series of new oil paintings and works on paper. With his laser-like attention Steiger focuses on the man-made parts notable for their simple and elegant design, those architectural and mechanical pieces of our world that are not only functional and beautiful but also a little nostalgic. This imagery is from deep within a modernism now fading; but, as Steiger makes clear, not quite out of sight as we have led ourselves to believe.

Commenting on the artist’s work, Richard Solomon remarks, “Ever since my first encounter with a William Steiger building, I have been fascinated by the artist’s ability to give traditional realism a refreshing new look.  Be it a farmhouse, a railroad signal, a roller coaster, or the bend of a river running through a field, Steiger introduces a spatial abstraction that tantalizes the viewer’s perception.  He defines his shapes very clearly, with a cool sense of color harmony and a surreal starkness, enhancing the feeling of three-dimensional objects defying forces of gravity.”

William Steiger was born in 1962. He received a B.A. in Art from the University of California, Santa Cruz and an M.F.A. in painting from Yale University in 1989. The artist has an extensive resume and exhibits regularly in New York City.  In the past several years, the artist has also exhibited in New Haven, San Francisco, Atlanta, Chicago, London, Philadelphia, Korea, Cologne, and Santa Fe.  The artist currently lives and works in New York City. 

Steiger has been a recipient of numerous grants, fellowships, and awards, including The Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Award, Basil H. Alkazzi Travel Award, London, England, and The Phelps Berdan Memorial Award for Distinction in Painting, Yale University.  His work is in the public collections of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Whitney Museum of American Art, Museum of Modern Art, Savannah College of Art and Design Galleries, and the corporate collections of Bank of America, Microsoft Corporation, The Progressive Corporation, Altria Group, Inc (formerly Philip Morris), and AXA (formerly Equitable). Articles about Steiger’s work have been published in noteworthy publications such as; The New York Times, Art in America, Art on Paper, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Art News, Tema Celeste, Art Papers, Art Forum, and many others.