Interview with Curator Phaedra Siebert
Ben Whitehouse talks about his painting and
the evolution of The Revolution Series
McNay Art Museum, San Antonio
March 15 - April 25
Revolution Still Lifes
ArtChicago
April 30 - May 3
Perimeter Gallery, Booth TBA
Grand Rapids Art Museum
June 4 - August 22
GRAM and Ox-Bow
Perimeter Gallery, Chicago September 10 - October 9
 Watch over Central Park, 2006 | Oil on 48 panels | 60" x 120" |
Watch is a series of painted works that record sky light shifts observed through a fixed interstice over time.
Watch over Central Park is a single work composed of 48 plein air paintings of sky light observed through two interstices over a 24 hour period on August 16, 2006. Painted each hour, on the hour, looking east and west from a position at the south end of Central Park, the 48 paintings are hung on the wall in two dial-like forms in close proximity. The paintings that compose the left hand dial are the paintings of western light, the paintings of the right hand dial are the paintings of eastern light and each dial records the light transitions of a 24 hour period in a particular coordianate of sky. The paintings are attached to the wall by magnets and are held in relation to one another by magnetic force. The axis of each dial is tipped back slightly, the left dial to the left and the right dial to the right, mirroring both the tilt of the earth but also the angle to the horizontal of human eyes.
 Watch over Time, 2006/7 | Oil on three 48" dia. Panels | 48" x 180" |
Watch over Time is a single work composed of 3 plein air paintings on circular panels that record skylight shifts over three days through a fixed interstice, from the same location but at different times of the year.
The left hand panel is a seamless record of sky light observed in a fixed coordinate of sky on April 24, 2006 from dawn to dusk.
The middle panel records the shifts of lsky ight observed in that same coordinate of sky May 24, 2006 for 24 hours.
The right hand panel records the shifts of sky light observed in that same coordinate of sky January 10, 2007 for 24 hours
The panels appear to float in front of the wall and are attached by magnets.