William T. Wiley: Selections from Two Exhibitions

William T. Wiley

Description

William T. Wiley's works are rich with texts that suggest narrative complexity interspersed with humorous asides. They frequently incorporate a figurative style that refers directly to famous artists of the past. Wiley's early work was influenced by Abstract Expressionism, and especially by Clyfford Still. By the early 1970s, however, he had begun to make very vibrant, obsessive paintings, prints, and drawings that combined motifs of pattern-making and text with his own unique eccentric energy. Wiley developed a painterly language that while sometimes abstract, frequently contained references to diverse sources of inspiration, running the gamut from Jungian imagery to Zen Buddhism, from environmental concerns to art history. He uses current political and social issues to comment on life in our time. His stunning draftsmanship and love of language are combined in paintings, drawings, prints and sculpture.