Richard Hambleton
Woodward Gallery is opening the new year with Richard Hambleton: Momentum, a dynamic exhibition showcasing the artist’s work from 1982 to 2007.
The collection highlights Hambleton’s extraordinary ability to bring the illusion of continuous, kinetic motion to the canvas.
Treating painting as an act of pure spontaneity, he translated his physical and emotional states directly into his art.
By intuitively layering unconventional materials, pigments, and varnishes, he created intensely psychological works where nothing ever feels static.
Throughout the exhibition, various eras of Hambleton's career demonstrate this energetic drive.
Richard Hambleton
The Beautiful Paintings series, including pieces like Priscilla (2006) and Magdalena (2007), features immersive, silver-leafed seascapes that capture the quiet, lingering momentum of dawn and dusk.
In contrast, Malibu (1986) uses a stark black rectangle to serve as both a barrier and a gateway to the sun.
This specific piece incorporates collapsed shadows to pay homage to Abstract Expressionist Barnett Newman while echoing Hambleton’s own iconic figures.
Richard Hambleton
Hambleton also aggressively challenged the American hypermasculinity and toxic seduction of cigarette advertising.
He transformed the iconic Marlboro Man into a haunting silhouette, sometimes even mixing actual tobacco into the paint, and turned vintage Merit ads into dark parodies depicting a ship of happy smokers engulfed in flames.
Rooted in his famous urban street art, the Shadowman series further amplifies this psychological tension.
Works like Freiburg (1982) feature exploding figures that burst into the viewer's space with shocking presence and urgency.
Together, these distinct bodies of work illustrate how Hambleton harnessed movement not just as a physical action, but as a driving, psychological force that defines his enduring artistic legacy.
Richard Hambleton: Momentum runs from late January through March 2026.
Visitors are welcome to experience the exhibition in person at Woodward Gallery’s 132A Eldridge Street location, or they can view it online via the gallery’s website and their Artsy.net Viewing Room.
Richard Hambleton
