Stanley Whitney
American
Stanley Whitney’s abstract paintings and works on paper explore the expressive potential of color and form through rhythmically structured compositions. He organizes vivid, saturated color fields into gridded blocks, punctuated by dynamic, gestural lines that give each piece a sense of movement and spontaneity. Drawing inspiration from a wide spectrum of sources—including the classical compositions of Titian and Velázquez, Minimalism, Color Field painting, Southern quilts, and the improvisational energy of jazz legends like Charlie Parker and Ornette Coleman—Whitney approaches painting as a musical, intuitive process. A Yale MFA graduate, he has exhibited internationally in cities such as New York, London, Berlin, Paris, Stockholm, and Shanghai. His work is held in major public collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim, the Long Museum, the Palazzo Magnani, and the Studio Museum in Harlem. While his identity as a Black American subtly informs his practice, Whitney prioritizes the development of a personal, abstract visual language over direct commentary on race and identity.