De Wain Valentine

Key facts

Lived

1936–2022, American^[2]

Works held in

2 museums^[1]

Wikipedia

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• Miravan

  Art Institute of Chicago

  Chicago, United States

  8 works

  

  Museum detailsMap

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• What is De Wain Valentine known for?+

  De Wain Valentine is known for his large transparent discs and columns that manipulate light in atmospheric ways. He developed Valentine MasKast Resin in 1966^[2], which allowed him to cast monumental polyester sculptures.
• What is De Wain Valentine's most famous work?+

  It is difficult to name one single "most famous work" by De Wain Valentine. He is best known as a West Coast artist working with cast polyester resin, creating large-scale translucent sculptures. Valentine began experimenting with plastics in the 1960s. He developed techniques for casting large, flawless blocks of resin, often in subtle colours. These sculptures explore light, colour, and perception. While no single piece eclipses his overall body of work, his series of large discs and columns are particularly well known. These works often have evocative titles, such as *Gray Column* or *Double Red-Yellow*. They are included in major museum collections. His work is associated with the Light and Space movement, a group of California artists who explored perceptual phenomena through minimalist forms and industrial materials.
• What should I know about De Wain Valentine's prints?+

  De Wain Valentine worked at printmaking studios such as Universal Limited Art Editions, Inc. (ULAE), Graphicstudio/University of South Florida, Gemini GEL, and Tyler Graphics Ltd. These workshops are filled with equipment for different processes: woodblocks for relief printing; metal plates for etching; limestone or metal plates for lithography; and screens of synthetic fibres for screenprints. There are drawing supplies; liquids and crayons; masking materials; delineative tools; greases, gums, and waxes; acid resists; and acids for etching. Also, there are inks, driers, and additives to alter the ink consistency. Printmaking workshops have individual characters, but also myriad elements in common. Gemini GEL, which was founded in Los Angeles in 1966^[2], became known for its technological ability, its use of materials and processes, its reach for the largest size printed image possible, and its tendency to do series of works rather than single editions. Tyler Graphics Ltd deepened its interest in making paper by hand, becoming a cornerstone of his new enterprise.
• What style or movement did De Wain Valentine belong to?+

  De Wain Valentine is associated with the Light and Space movement, a development related to Minimalism and Op Art. This artistic tendency emerged in Southern California during the 1960s. Valentine, along with artists like Larry Bell, Robert Irwin, and Craig Kauffman, explored perception, light, volume, and scale in their work. They often used industrial materials such as resin, fibreglass, and cast acrylic to create objects that appear to dematerialise in ambient light. Valentine is best known for his large-scale, translucent sculptures. These works frequently take the form of disks, columns, and other geometric shapes. These sculptures are intended to interact with light and space, altering the viewer's perception of the surrounding environment. The smooth, polished surfaces and subtle gradations of colour contribute to the ethereal quality of his pieces.
• What techniques or materials did De Wain Valentine use?+

  De Wain Valentine is associated with the use of particular materials, especially cast polyester resin. He developed techniques for creating large-scale, translucent sculptures using this material. In the 1960s, Valentine experimented with polyester resin, which allowed him to create smooth, clear, and often colourful forms. His work involved a complex process of layering resin, sometimes with added pigments, into moulds. This resulted in objects that appear to glow from within. Valentine's practice also included the use of fibreglass, which provided structural support for his larger resin pieces. The combination of these materials allowed him to achieve a distinctive aesthetic, characterised by clean lines and luminous surfaces. His innovative approach to materials contributed to the development of the California Light and Space movement.
• What was De Wain Valentine known for?+

  De Wain Valentine is known for his contributions to the Light and Space movement, particularly his large-scale resin sculptures. These works often took the form of transparent discs, columns, and other geometric shapes. Valentine's interest in light and surface is evident in his pieces, which manipulate light in a way that alters the viewer's perception of space. His process involved developing new techniques for working with industrial materials, such as polyester resin. This enabled him to create flawless, translucent objects that appear to dematerialise in the light. Valentine’s work is included in the collections of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of American^[2] Art in New York, and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, also in New York.
• When did De Wain Valentine live and work?+

  De Wain Valentine was born on 27 June 1936^[2], in Fort Collins, Colorado. In 1956^[2], Valentine moved to Boulder, where he initially studied engineering at the University of Colorado. He then switched his major and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1958. He continued his studies at the same institution, earning a Master of Fine Arts degree in 1960. Valentine is associated with the Light and Space movement, a style that emerged in Southern California during the 1960s. He is known for his minimalist sculptures created from cast polyester resin, often in large-scale formats. These works explore the properties of light, colour, and transparency. Valentine lived and worked primarily in California. He maintained a studio in Venice, Los Angeles, where he continued to produce art until his death on 27 November 2022^[2], at the age of 86.
• Where can I see De Wain Valentine's work?+

  De Wain Valentine's work can be viewed in several museums in the United States and Canada. These include the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), at 5905 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles; the Metropolitan Museum of Art, on Fifth Avenue in New York; and the Museum of Modern Art, also in New York, at 11 West 53rd Street. Valentine's art is also held at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, located at 2400 Third Avenue South, Minneapolis. Another location is the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American^[2] Art, at 445 North Park Avenue, Winter Park, Florida. You can also find his pieces at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, 200 N. Boulevard, Richmond. Finally, his work is available at the Royal Ontario Museum, 100 Queens Park, Toronto.
• Where was De Wain Valentine from?+

  Information about De Wain Valentine's birthplace is not available in the provided texts. However, these texts do provide the birthplaces of a number of other artists. David Smith was born in Decatur, Indiana, in 1906. Merton D. Simpson was born in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1928. Kill V. C. Skitsas was born in Passaic, New Jersey, in 1924. McKie Trotter was born in Manchester, Georgia, in 1918. Hyman Bloom was born in Latvia in 1913, but moved to Boston in 1920. James W. Boynton was born in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1928. James Brooks was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1906. Richard A. White was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1917. Ulfert Jiltke was born in Bad Toelz, Germany, in 1907, and moved to the United States in 1938^[2]. Paul Wonner was born in Tucson, Arizona, in 1920. Gilbert Stuart was born in rural Rhode Island in 1755.
• Who did De Wain Valentine influence?+

  It is difficult to identify specific artists directly influenced by De Wain Valentine. However, his work is associated with the Light and Space movement, a school of art that emerged in Southern California in the 1960s. This movement included artists such as Larry Bell, Robert Irwin, and James Turrell. These artists shared an interest in exploring perception, light, volume, and scale. They often used industrial materials like resin and fibreglass to create minimalist sculptures and installations. Their work aimed to alter the viewer's sensory experience and create an awareness of the surrounding space. While it is hard to name artists who directly emulated Valentine's style, his contributions to the Light and Space movement helped to shape a particular sensibility within the broader art world. This sensibility valued perceptual experience and the use of new materials.
• Who was De Wain Valentine?+

  De Wain Valentine was born in 1937^[2] in Bedford, Indiana. He later lived in Woodacre. Valentine attended Columbia High School in Richland, Washington, where he met Robert Hudson and William Allan in art classes. He received a BFA in 1960 and an MFA in 1962 from the California School of Fine Arts, San Francisco. In the mid-1960s, after seeing a René Magritte retrospective, he began combining images and text in his work. He participated in the Funk Art movement. Valentine taught at the University of California, Davis, from 1962 to 1973, and at the San Francisco Art Institute in 1963 and from 1966 to 1967. He is known for his watercolours, constructions, and large-scale linear paintings. These works often incorporate puns and ambiguous phrasing.
• Why are De Wain Valentine's works important today?+

  De Wain Valentine (born 1936^[2]) is associated with the Light and Space movement that emerged in Southern California during the 1960s. This group of artists experimented with industrial materials like resin and fibreglass to explore perception and the effects of light. Valentine's large-scale, translucent sculptures exemplify this interest. His best-known works are smooth, colourful resin cylinders and discs. These pieces appear deceptively simple, but their creation involved complex technical processes. Valentine developed his own methods for casting resin in order to achieve the flawless surfaces and subtle gradations of colour that characterise his art. His sculptures invite viewers to contemplate the interplay of light, colour, and form, offering a contemplative visual experience. Valentine's innovations with materials make him a significant figure in post-war American^[2] sculpture.