Peter Halley artworks and editions

Peter Halley is a contemporary artist from America. He studied art history at Yale University. This was followed by studies in painting at the University of New Orleans. Today Halley lives and works in New York City.

Beginning in the 1980s, the artist turned to minimalism. Halley's artworks and editions are recognizable by the recurring neon-colored geometric shapes referred to as "prison and cells," which echo the motif of the barred window and the prison cell. Aesthetically, the use of different colored tape is crucial, often contrasted by white, black, or gray areas of color.

Although Peter Halley's artworks and editions are formally aesthetically reminiscent of Minimalism, he counteracts this approach through the association with prison cells themselves. His works deal with the manifestation of organizational forms, logics as well as dependency relationships of social space and the artwork itself. The artist draws inspiration from the theories of Michel Foucault and Jean Baudrillard. Thus, the New York City-born artist addresses the alienated life in modernity as well as the relationship between the living world and art.

Peter Halley's works are represented in numerous renowned art institutions and collections.