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Carroll Dunham

The artist Carroll Dunham began his painting career working on plywood after having discovered its potential in the early 1980s. Coaxing his forms to adapt to the natural textures and designs of each panel, Dunham would continue to paint wildly organic, colorful, and cartoon-like organisms as his career matured. However, his vibrant, animated forms are far from childlike, with such provocative motifs as weapons and sexual organs—sometimes with their distinctions blurred—poised for action.

Dunham has long resisted prevailing stylistic trends and consequently carved out a space for American painters to explore the possibilities of blending both abstraction and figuration. Dunham's recent hybrid of landscape and figuration demonstrate his continued desire to transcend aesthetic categories. The scenarios involving nudes in these recent paintings also reflect his ability to convey bold, perhaps unpleasant truths through superficially clumsy, unlikely subjects.

Born 1949
Hometown New Haven, CT
Lives and Works New York, NY
Education
BA, Trinity College, Hartford, CT, 1972
Permanent Collection

Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY

Tate Modern, London, England

Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

Goetz Collection, Munich, Germany

The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL

The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, CA

Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich, Germany

Representing Galleries

Gladstone Gallery, New York, NY

Skarstedt Gallery, New York, NY

David Nolan Gallery, New York, NY

Blum & Poe, Los Angeles, CA

SHOWS

David Nolan Gallery

New York
Jun 28 2016 - Jul 29 2016

drawing ROOM

Luxembourg & Dayan

London
Feb 25 2016 - Apr 16 2016

In the Making

Skarstedt

New York
Feb 25 2016 - Apr 16 2016

Nice Weather
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Articles

In Their Own Words: 10 Essential Reads Written by Artists
In Their Own Words: 10 Essential Reads Written by Artists

Spring is here! We compiled a list of 10 essential reads for your lazy days in the park.

Steal Vs. Splurge: You Know A Good Deal When You See One
Steal Vs. Splurge: You Know A Good Deal When You See One

Featuring Carroll Dunham, Jenny Holzer, Jeff Koons, and more

DIY MFA: 8 Places in NYC to Learn About Art for Free (or Almost F
DIY MFA: 8 Places in NYC to Learn About Art for Free (or Almost F

Here are eight places where you’ll find lectures, workshops, and discussions to get you on track for your own, DIY MFA.

What Does 2016 Hold for the Art World?
What Does 2016 Hold for the Art World?

With an upheaval-filled year coming to a close, we surveyed dozens of art-world experts about what they'll be following in 2016.

Brad Hajzak on Cherry-Picking Art From New Haven
Brad Hajzak on Cherry-Picking Art From New Haven

The collector and advisor gives Artspace a tour of his loft in downtown New Haven and shares advice on seeking out art all along the Northeast Corridor.

Whither the Avant-Garde? Trends at Liste
Whither the Avant-Garde? Trends at Liste

From art made of construction materials to denim aplenty, here are a few new directions taken by promising young artists today.

A Genealogy of Artists & Their Assistants
A Genealogy of Artists & Their Assistants

Who knew? Barnaby Furnas worked for Carroll Dunham, who worked for Dorothea Rockburne, who worked for Robert Rauschenberg. Our discoveries may surprise you.

The Art Lovers: Power Couples of the Art World
The Art Lovers: Power Couples of the Art World

To celebrate Valentine's Day, we've compiled a list of some of the more prominent couples whose hearts have been intertwined by the aesthetic ribbons of contemporary art.

7 Artists to Watch This January
7 Artists to Watch This January

From an Israeli artist experimenting with diaristic drawings to a conceptual photographer about to debut an ambitious new film, these artists are using the new year as an opportunity to make their mark.

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