Loading...

Inferno

Oil and mixed media on masonite
47 7/8 x 48 1/8 inches
1983
Now on view: TJC Gallery, Spartanburg, South Carolina

McCallum & Halsey: At Home and Abroad, Rosalind Sallenger Richardson Center for the Arts, Wofford College, Spartanburg, SC, 2022

Inferno exemplifies Halsey’s affinity for large-scale, three-dimensional painting, as well as the experimental, mixed media compositions embraced later in his career. Influenced by the Abstract Expressionism movement, he often included non-traditional media in his work. He combined marble dust and thick layers of paint to simulate the layers of stucco and housepaint that characterize southern coastal architecture. However, the intense colors depart from typical Charleston pastels, acting as a reminder of his international influences and constant artistic evolution.