Whitehead
Michael Whitehead- Printmaker. Artist. Educator
Artist Statement Bio
My current body of work is a series of architectural fantasy drawings and prints inspired by the surreal, dystopian industrial sectors of the United States. I am compelled by the idea of discovering elements of the sublime in the intricate, utilitarian forms of petrochemical plants, steel mills and power stations. My intention is for my work to evoke a "true" sense of place based on my explorations of these industrial spaces. To this end, my drawings juxtapose various elements of disparate industrial sites to form absurd, ruinous monuments to American labor and power. My work, whether in the expansive landscapes of my drawings, or in the claustrophobic windows of my prints, is always a response to the architectural landscape I am surrounded by.
I am a printmaking artist originally from Amanda, Ohio. My current drawing and printmaking practice is centered in finding surreal and sublime elements in the utilitarian architecture of industrial America. During my MFA at Louisiana State University, I became intimately familiar with Louisiana's Industrial Corridor, locally known as "Cancer Alley". I was fascinated by the sense of simultaneous horror and wonder that gripped me as I traveled along that 85 mile stretch of the Mississippi. Industrial architecture has become the center of my work ever since.
My technical, traditional approach to drawing is a result of my fascination with the graphic works of 17th century engravers. My images are intended to evoke a sense of place while drawing narrative parallels between our current cultural moment and moments in art history.
Education
2018-2021
MFA: Louisiana State University
2012-2016
BFA: Ohio University
Teaching Experience
2021-Present
Instructor of Printmaking: Intro, Intermediate, and Advanced. Cleveland State University
2019-2021
Instructor: Introduction to Printmaking. Louisiana State University
2018-2019
Graduate Assistant: Intro to Printmaking, Louisiana State University
Exhibitions
Solo
2021
Power Structures, Glassell Gallery, Baton Rouge, LA
Group
2021
Southern Contemporary, 10th Annual Juried Exhibition, Ogden Museum of Southern Art, New Orleans, LA
2021
A Southern Perspective, Expression Graphics, Chicago, LA
2021
Cuentos, Mitos, y Leyendas, Spokane Print Fest, Spokane, WA
2021
From Every Angle, Union Gallery, Baton Rouge, LA
Contact Me
740-274-6062