JOHN WHITEHEAD

John Whitehead is one of only a few African American geometric abstract sculptors currently working in the U.S.

Two distinct, but related, bodies of works are currently available: highly polished aluminum or stainless-steel geometric abstractions in the constructivist and abstract expressionist traditions and totemic sculptures in metal or fine-grained wood. All the works show a deft attention to composition and exquisite workmanship.  

Whitehead is fascinated by urban spaces in which art and architecture are interactive. He hopes that some of his works can serve as maquettes for public art installations. He welcomes commissions of all sizes.

John Whitehead was born in Demerara, Guyana.  He came to the United States at age five and grew up in various inner-city neighborhoods on the west side of Oakland, California.   

John Whitehead’s formal training in art began while he was attending Hoover Middle School in West Oakland. But he didn’t feel seriously challenged by his art classes there. At McClymonds High School in West Oakland, he was most fortunate to have Richard Davies as a dedicated and extraordinarily talented art teacher. Under his astute tutelage, John was exposed to a whole new approach to art, which emphasized geometric abstraction, constructivist art, and abstract expressionist sculpture.

Whitehead pursued his post-secondary education in economics and art, first at U,C, Berkeley, CA, where he obtained his B.A. in economics with a minor in art, and then at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where he received his M.A. in economics. During his professional career, teaching university level economics and statistics, he continued to develop his keen interest in and passion for contemporary art, and more specifically sculpture. These were formative years for the artist.

From 2010 to 2020, Whitehead’s body of work mainly consisted of mirror-polished stainless steel and aluminum sculpture balancing varying geometric shapes, patterning curves, and negative spaces. The design, boundaries and perceived movements of many of these pieces were influenced by David Smith’s “Cubi” series, Fletcher Benson’s “Folded-Circle” series, and George Rickey’s “Cluster of Cubes” sculpture, and other works in the abstract expressionist and constructivist traditions.  As a result, these sculptures reflect a high level of geometric abstraction and often contain objects that are perched precariously atop each other, appearing to defy gravity and/or displaying a balance/imbalance dynamic.

Recently, Whitehead has been broadening his sculptural work to include sculpture integrating the geometric aspects of his past works combined with a variety of contemporary African diasporic and cubist artistic paradigms. His 2023 sculpture, “The Numen of Wood” has inspired him to continue producing many of his new sculpture out of African mahogany, walnut, and other fine-grained wood.

Selected Solo/Two-Person Exhibitions
2019    Overland-Tandberg Corporation Headquarters Lobby, San Jose (Silicon Valley), CA
2019    Tertulia Coffee and Gallery, Oakland, CA
2017    Home of African American Actor, Danny Glover, San Francisco, CA
2016    Joyce Gordon Fine Art Gallery, Oakland, CA
2016    Office of the Chancellor Lobby, City College of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
2015    Artworks Foundry Gallery, Berkeley, CA.  Curator: Steven Headley
2015    Jacobs Gallery at the Holt Center, Eugene, OR
2014    Gallery 85 at Santana Row, San Jose, CA
2014    Home of Former San Francisco 49ers’ Tight End, Vernon Davis, Los Altos, CA
2013    City College of San Francisco Art Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2012    Mills College Upward Bound Program, Oakland, CA
2012    111 Broadway – Oakland City Center Lobby, Oakland, CA

Selected Group Exhibitions
2023    Fall Show, Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture, San Francisco, CA
2023    Zentner Collection, Asian & Contemporary Fine Art Gallery, Emeryville, CA
2023    37th Annual Emeryville Art Exhibition, Emeryville, CA
2022    36th Annual Emeryville Art Exhibition, Emeryville, CA
2021    35th Annual Emeryville Art Exhibition, Emeryville, CA
2018    32nd Annual Emeryville Art Exhibition, Emeryville, CA
2018    San Fernando Valley Arts & Cultural Center, Tarzana, CA
2017    Nancy Littleton Fine Arts, Houston, TX
2016    Ritz Carlton Hotel, Lake Tahoe, CA
2015    29th Annual Emeryville Art Exhibition, Emeryville, CA
2014    28th Annual Emeryville Art Exhibition, Emeryville, CA
2013    Solomon Dubnick Gallery, Sacramento, CA
2012    26th Annual Emeryville Art Exhibition, Emeryville, CA
2011    21 Grand Gallery, Oakland, CA
2011    Esteban Sabar Gallery, Oakland, CA
2010    Lima Art Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2010    4th Street Fine Art, Berkeley, CA
2010    24th Annual Emeryville Art Exhibition, Emeryville, CA
2009    23rd Annual Emeryville Art Exhibition, Emeryville, CA
2008    Watergate Clipper Club and Trader Vic’s Restaurant, Emeryville, CA
2008    22nd Annual Emeryville Art Exhibition, Emeryville, CA
2007    DeFremery Park, Art/ Recreation Center, Oakland, CA

Awards
2023    2nd Place (out of 198 competing artworks),  City of Emeryville Art Purchase Award
2017    3rd Place, Nancy Littleton Fine Arts, Houston, TX
2009     3rd Place, City of Emeryville Art in Public Places Purchase Award
1975    1st Place, Invitational High School Competition: Oakland Unified School District
1975     3rd Place, Jurred High School Competition: UC Berkeley Department of Art

Publications
2018    ZO Magazine, Artist Profile
2013    “Sculpture of John Whitehead.” City Currents, City College of San Francisco Newsletter, Volume XX – Issue 24

Scholarly Presentations
2016    “Contemporary Geometric Abstract African Diasporic Sculpture: A Comparison.”  Joyce Gordon Art Gallery, Oakland, CA
2013    “Balance, Gravity, and Movement in Fletcher Benton’s Large-Scale Sculpture.”  City College of San Francisco Art Gallery, San Francisco, CA

Education
1983    M.A., University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA. Major in Economics with significant coursework in Visual Arts; graduated magna cum laude
1979    B.A., University of California, Berkeley, CA. Major in Economics, Minor in Art; graduated with high honors
1974    California College of Arts & Crafts High School Summer Program, Oakland, CA
2010s   Studied under Fred Kling, Faculty Emeritus of Art, CCSF

I am a contemporary geometric abstract sculptor. 

My sculptural work evolves from the constructivist and geometric abstract traditions. While it is inspired by my faith in humanity and the beauty of nature, it is most directly influenced by Fletcher Benton’s geometric abstractions and David Smith’s “Cubi” series. Stylistically, my work contains a variety of geometric constructions, shapes, and patterning curves and spaces that exhibit movement, harmony, energy, symmetry, and balance.

I view my work as an evolving process that seeks to achieve four objectives: 1) to provide art that is imaginative and original; 2) to provide art that is three dimensional and interesting from all angles; 3) to provide art that will be true to my vision, while stimulating the imagination and intellect of the viewer; and 4) to provide art that reflects meticulous craftsmanship, structural strength, and durable materials.