Auktion: 19 Tage
Stand 21.10.2026
Peter Halley (b. 1953) Depth Charge, 1999-2017 Acrylic, metallic, pearlescent acrylic, and Roll-a-Tex on canvas 81 x 45 inches (205.7 x 114.3 cm) Signed twice, titled, dated, and inscribed on the reverse: Peter Halley / Peter Halley / 1999-2017 / (2nd version, 1st version was damaged + destroyed) / PH PROVENANCE: Sandra Gering Gallery, New York; Private Collection, New York; Private collection, Maryland. NOTE: We thank the Peter Halley Studio for kindly providing cataloguing assistance. Peter Halley's Depth Charge brings the language of geometric abstraction into the structures of contemporary life. Emerging in New York during the 1980s Halley drew upon Mondrian's ordered grids and the industrial aesthetic of Minimalism to develop his signature vocabulary of cells and conduits. In his paintings geometry takes on a social meaning. Rectangles suggest enclosed spaces of habitation and work while connecting bands evoke the systems through which energy and information circulate. These compositions reflect a world in which technological connection coexists with physical isolation. In Depth Charge a substantial golden cell anchors the composition. Broad burgundy and yellow conduits approach from above while a slender green channel enters from the left. Orange and dark brown bands run beneath the cell and continue beyond the edges of the canvas. Their abrupt turns and contrasting widths establish a measured rhythm across the tall format. The arrangement suggests a fragment of an extensive network whose connections remain partly concealed. Despite the activity around it the central enclosure retains an imposing stillness. Halley's choice of materials gives this geometry a distinctly architectural character. The coarse Roll-a-Tex surface recalls the commercial wall finishes of everyday interiors and lends the cell a physical density. Metallic and pearlescent acrylic introduce a luminous counterpoint to this granular texture. Through this interplay of color and surface Depth Charge joins the visual appeal of abstract painting to Halley's persistent examination of the spaces and systems that organize modern life. HID12401132022 © 2026 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved www.HA.com/TexasAuctioneerLicenseNotice
Sandra Gering Gallery, New York; Private Collection, New York; Private collection, Maryland.
Colors appear fresh. Artwork exhibits intentional surface irregularities. Work is comprised of two canvases; 69 x 45 inches canvas surmounting a 12 x 45 inches canvas.