Current and Upcoming Exhibitions

Richard Whitten: Objects of Wonder

Painting with a mechanical toy in the center surrounded by a Renaissance-style landscape
Richard Whitten, Tellurian, 2021, oil on wood panel
  • On view November 7–December 6, 2024
  • Opening Reception: Thursday, November 7, 4–7 pm, in the gallery
  • Artist Talk: Thursday, November 21, 5 pm, Alex and Ani 138

Richard Whitten creates paintings which transport the viewer through the surface of the painting into a world of imagined architectural spaces. There, the viewer finds similarly imagined machines. The viewers are invited to bring the worlds inside the paintings to life – to propel the machine into motion – through sight and thought alone. The machines Whitten depicts have a variety of possible functions and are often inspired by the inventions of Leonardo da Vinci and other Renaissance inventors. These machines tend to include elements that suggest motion, such as flywheels, gears, and ropes. It is Whitten’s belief that when the viewer tracks the potential movements of his machines, the paintings feel alive.

Rhode Island College entrance

Contact

Bannister Gallery

Located in Rhode Island College’s Roberts Hall, the Bannister Gallery presents 7 to 8 exhibitions a year by local, regional and international artists.

Dr. Victoria Gao

Director

Bannister Gallery and Exhibitions