¹û½´ÊÓƵ

Leslie Wilkes is an American abstract artist known for her highly geometrical, kaleidoscopic gouache works. Her distinctive style is influenced by the bright, psychedelic imagery of the 1960s. She reinterprets this through a precise, contemporary lens, creating vibrant and intricately structured patterns. Wilkes rigorously experiments, cycling through compositions in an iterative approach that defines her unique visual language. This results in intricate patterns and color combinations that draw the eye and encourage contemplation of her dynamic, mesmerizing forms. Born in Monroe, Georgia, Wilkes's artistic foundation includes a BA from the University of Texas and an MFA from the School at the Art Institute of Chicago. Her recent explorations delve into the palette of red, white, and blue, colors often seen in Far West Texas landscapes, serving as a subtle commentary on current American sentiments and cultural narratives. Despite initial hesitation due to patriotic associations, Wilkes embraces them to explore the complex emotional and cultural landscape of the contemporary U.S. through her abstract forms. Her work has been widely shown, with solo exhibitions in cities including New York, San Francisco, and Marfa, Texas, where she lives and works. She also shares her expertise as a Visiting Artist at institutions like the Ox-Bow School and the California College of Arts, contributing to the education of emerging artists.

The artist biographies for Witness Nothing were collaboratively written by curatorial interns Julyet Carillo and Elisa Leyva, with the oversight of Henry Schulte Assistant Curator of Practice. The content was compiled from a variety of sources, including personal websites, institutional biographies, critical essays, artist interviews, and exhibition texts. A comprehensive bibliography of all sources used is provided below. It is important to note that Gemini, a Google AI, was utilized in the editing process to condense and refine the initial drafts into more concise paragraphs, using the prompt: "Use the following information to shorten each artist bio to one paragraph.”

Bibliography