TomMcKinley
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Tom McKinley<br />
10 HAWTHORNE STREET, SAN FRANCISCO CA 94105<br />
BERGGRUEN.COM TEL 415 781 4629
T<br />
om McKinley’s exhibition of new paintings presents a survey of<br />
domestic architecture embedded with rich references to material<br />
culture. Hyperrealistic depictions of interior and exterior spaces<br />
propose a coalescence between natural and man-made habitats, as the<br />
quiet, contemplative scenes express a harmonious relationship between<br />
objects, architecture, and the outside world. This sense of tranquil arises<br />
from the artist’s meticulous handling of line and color, as McKinley<br />
strikes a delicate balance between geometric precision and architectural<br />
rationality combined with the organic shapes and surfaces of the<br />
natural world. What emerges from his paintings is an intimate union of<br />
art and architecture and landscape — a harmony of opposites drawn<br />
together in a single moment of stillness devoid of human interaction.<br />
To observe one of McKinley’s paintings is to enter a narrative — one<br />
meticulously composed by what the artist describes as his “mental<br />
inventory.” This inventory is characterized by a wide-ranging scope of<br />
collectibles and visual icons, from Islamic ceramics and Greek antiques to<br />
Brancusi sculptures and Grotjahn abstractions. The paintings’ inanimate<br />
spaces express a uniquely vibrant character and sense of life derived from<br />
the artist’s acute attention to objects and their relationship to private and<br />
public surroundings. A story is written in the cultural artifacts that assume<br />
the space — both time-worn relics and contemporary pieces that convey<br />
luxurious expressions of taste. The lack of figures within the paintings<br />
shifts the focus away from human interaction, instead concentrating on the<br />
undisturbed dwellings as embodiments of material culture. His works thus<br />
propose an illusory gaze into the meditative sites of private art collections<br />
and the modern edifices in or around which they reside.<br />
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While a human presence is suggested by the nature of the residential<br />
settings, the immaculate interiors and landscaping — a pristinely folded<br />
blanket or flawlessly trimmed lawn - exude a museum-like perfection and<br />
precision. This precision stems from both McKinley’s strict and technical<br />
approach to composition as well as the artist’s painstaking attention to<br />
form and color. By capturing spaces at various times of the day, McKinley<br />
experiments with a range of color palettes, from rich, dusky tones to sunny<br />
pastels. Properties of natural and artificial light breathe life into each space,<br />
proposing a synthesis of man-made and synthetic forces which together<br />
create a theatrical portrait of homes and their prized contents.<br />
Despite McKinley’s penchant for architectural environments, these paintings<br />
simultaneously reveal the artist’s affinity for painting and imagining their<br />
surrounding landscapes. While the residences he paints are fictional, the<br />
artist places these dwellings within specific outdoor contexts. A striking<br />
degree of painterly realism transports the viewer to idyllic natural sceneries<br />
with sweeping views and a remoteness that suggests a degree of privacy and<br />
retreat. This sense of seclusion distills each painting into a singular moment<br />
of meditation, allowing those who encounter McKinley’s works to enter<br />
a space emblematic of human culture and its powerful connection to art<br />
objects.<br />
Tom McKinley was born in Bay City, Michigan, and was educated in<br />
both the United States and Europe. Beginning at the Goddard Collage in<br />
Vermont, he continued his education overseas in England at the Falmouth<br />
School of Art in Falmouth, the Ravensbourne College of Art in London,<br />
and Brighton Polytechnic in Brighton. McKinley currently lives and works<br />
in the San Francisco area.<br />
Charlotte Belling<br />
5
1<br />
Mao and Full Moon, 2017<br />
24 x 49 inches<br />
6
2<br />
Humble Villa, 2017<br />
49 x 84 inches<br />
8
3<br />
Twins, 2017<br />
49 x 84 inches<br />
10
4<br />
A Bigger Back Yard, 2017<br />
49 x 96 inches<br />
12
5<br />
Blue Caesar, 2017<br />
49 x 84 inches<br />
14
6<br />
Country Lane, 2017<br />
49 x 84 inches<br />
16
7<br />
Classic Hoodie, 2017<br />
49 x 84 inches<br />
18
8<br />
Back Yard, 2017<br />
49 x 96 inches<br />
20
9<br />
Swiss Chalet with Bird, 2017<br />
45 x 76 inches<br />
22
10<br />
Blue Striped Room, 2017<br />
49 x 84 inches<br />
24
11<br />
Rainbow Striped Room, 2017<br />
49 x 84 inches<br />
26
1<br />
Mao and Full Moon<br />
2017<br />
Oil on panel<br />
24 x 49 inches<br />
2<br />
Humble Villa<br />
2017<br />
Oil on panel<br />
49 x 84 inches<br />
3<br />
Twins<br />
2017<br />
Oil on panel<br />
49 x 84 inches<br />
4<br />
A Bigger Back Yard<br />
2017<br />
Oil on panel<br />
49 x 96 inches<br />
5<br />
Blue Caesar<br />
2017<br />
Oil on panel<br />
49 x 84 inches<br />
6<br />
Country Lane<br />
2017<br />
Oil on panel<br />
49 x 84 inches<br />
30
7<br />
Classic Hoodie<br />
2017<br />
Oil on panel<br />
49 x 84 inches<br />
8<br />
Back Yard<br />
2017<br />
Oil on panel<br />
49 x 96 inches<br />
9<br />
Swiss Chalet with Bird<br />
2017<br />
Oil on panel<br />
45 x 76 inches<br />
10<br />
Blue Striped Room<br />
2017<br />
Oil on panel<br />
49 x 84 inches<br />
11<br />
Rainbow Striped Room<br />
2017<br />
Oil on panel<br />
49 x 84 inches<br />
31
TOM McKINLEY<br />
1955 Born in Bay City, MI<br />
Currently Lives and works in Emeryville, CA<br />
Education<br />
1977-79 Falmouth School of Art, Falmouth, UK<br />
1976-77 Ravensbourne College of Art, London, UK<br />
1975-76 Brighton Polytechnic, Brighton, UK<br />
1973-75 Goddard College, Plainfield, VT<br />
Selected Solo Exhibitions:<br />
2018 Berggruen Gallery, San Francisco, CA<br />
2013 Skidmore Contemporary Art, Santa Monica, CA<br />
2012 John Berggruen Gallery, San Francisco, CA<br />
2011 Skidmore Contemporary Art, Santa Monica, CA<br />
2009 California Real Estate, Skidmore Contemporary Art, Santa Monica, CA<br />
2008 John Berggruen Gallery, San Francisco, CA<br />
2003 John Berggruen Gallery, San Francisco, CA<br />
2001 John Berggruen Gallery, San Francisco, CA<br />
Tom McKinley: Recent Paintings, Beth Urdang Gallery, Boston, MA<br />
1998 John Berggruen Gallery, San Francisco, CA<br />
1994 John Berggruen Gallery, San Francisco, CA<br />
1990 Kay Kimpton Gallery, San Francisco, CA<br />
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1988 Ivory/Kimpton Gallery, San Francisco, CA<br />
1986 Introductions `86, Ivory/Kimpton Gallery, San Francisco, CA<br />
Selected group exhibitions:<br />
2017 Art Basel, Miami Beach, FL<br />
2016 Art Basel, Miami Beach, FL<br />
2015 FOG Design + Art, San Francisco, CA<br />
Art Basel, Miami Beach, FL<br />
2014 Art Basel, Miami Beach, FL<br />
2013 Expo Chicago, IL<br />
Art Basel, Miami Beach, FL<br />
The Time is Now, John Berggruen Gallery, San Francisco, CA<br />
2012 COLLECT!, Berkeley Art Center, Berkeley, CA<br />
2011 The Art of Giving, John Berggruen Gallery, San Francisco, CA<br />
Ongoing, Skidmore Contemporary Art, Santa Monica, CA<br />
2010 They Knew What They Wanted, John Berggruen Gallery, San Francisco, CA<br />
Poprealism, Skidmore Contemporary Art, Santa Monica, CA<br />
2009 Skidmore Contemporary Art, Santa Monica, CA<br />
2008 Novak Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, CA<br />
2007 L.A. Art Show, Santa Monica, CA<br />
Art Miami, Miami, FL<br />
2006 Art Basel, Miami, FL<br />
Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Beverly Hills, CA<br />
33
2005 Art Basel, Miami, FL<br />
Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Beverly Hills, CA<br />
2004 Napa Art Museum, Napa, CA<br />
2001 Objects Considered, Bedford Gallery, Walnut Creek, CA<br />
1998 Wild Things: Artists’ Views of the Animal Kingdom, John Berggruen Gallery, San Francisco, CA<br />
1997 Structures: Buildings in American Art, 1900 - 1997, John Berggruen Gallery, San Francisco, CA<br />
1996 John Berggruen Gallery, Friesen Gallery Fine Art: A Collaboration, Andrea Friesen Gallery, Ketchum, ID<br />
1995 Objects of Desire, John Berggruen Gallery, San Francisco, CA<br />
XXV Years, John Berggruen Gallery, San Francisco, CA<br />
1993 The Art of Giving-The Giving of Art, John Berggruen Gallery, San Francisco, CA<br />
1991 Palette of Vision, Alza Corporation, Palo Alto, CA<br />
1990 Contra Costa Collects Contemporary, Bedford Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek, CA<br />
Fall Highlights, Kay Kimpton Gallery, San Francisco, CA<br />
1989 Ivory/Kimpton Gallery, San Francisco, CA<br />
1988 Art a la Carte, Vorpal Gallery, San Francisco, CA<br />
1987 Gallery Artists, Ivory/Kimpton Gallery, San Francisco, CA<br />
1978-79 Royal Academy Summer Show, Royal Academy, London, UK<br />
1978 Piccadilly Gallery, Cork Street, London, UK<br />
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Tom McKinley<br />
10 HAWTHORNE STREET, SAN FRANCISCO<br />
BERGGRUEN.COM TEL 415 781 4629<br />
Publication ©2018 Berggruen Gallery, San Francisco<br />
All rights reserved. No part of the contents of this catalogue may be<br />
reproduced without the written permission of Berggruen Gallery.<br />
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS<br />
Plates 1 - 11 : Jon Atkinson<br />
DESIGN : Jon Atkinson<br />
PRINTING : Blurb<br />
PROJECT COORDINATION : Jon Atkinson, Charlotte Belling<br />
BERGGRUEN GALLERY HAS BEEN A MEMBER OF THE<br />
ART DEALERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA SINCE 1975
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