2012 Catalogue Archive

A raw, thick line that defines a trapezoidal structure shows up in many of Chuck Webster’s recent works. These mysterious shapes appear both monolithic and cartoonish, ancient and contemporary. In this untitled work, a white building-like shape is covered with hashed lines that could be bent antennas, cracks in the structure, or structural elements. Art in America writer Carol Diehl described Webster’s visual vocabulary, saying, “…these emblematic symbols could just as easily be co-opted from early tribal paintings as could represent signals channeled from a simpler, postapocalyptic future.” Webster’s ability to create such an enigmatic work with such few means is a testament to his skill as a painter and image-maker. Webster’s work is in many museum collections including the Whitney Museum, New York; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; and the Dallas Museum of Art. His work has been seen in solo shows at ACME, Los Angeles, and Zevitas Gallery, Boston. His work has been included in exhibitions at museums such as the San Diego Museum of Art; Museum of Contemporary Art, Detroit; and MoMA PS1, New York.