Robert Walters (American, 1925-2008)
ARTIST STATEMENT
“In contrast to earlier times, my canvases, drawings and woodcuts are no longer totally abstract—at least not in the formalistic sense. Instead, they are more determined by events involving people, or the illumination of the internal character of places and the intrusion of incidents. Sometimes the work has to do with “affairs” of dramatic intent and with themes which may appear threatening. Frequently they are figurative—to reveal an emotional circumstance between a woman and a man. They can regard “death” in especially frontal ways, but are not made grotesque with theatrical devices of imagery. They tend to sensual. So now, I too, have become metaphysically entangled with my work, and I intend to go on with it.”
-Robert Walters, 1992
Born in 1925 in Indianapolis, Indiana, died in 2008 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Walters attended the John Herron Art Institute, Wabash College for Men at DePaul University. After serving on the U.S. Naval Underwater Demolition Team in the Pacific in WWII, he attended the Universidad de Mexico and Mexico City College. While in Mexico he apprenticed with the muralist Jose Clemente Orozco. Upon return to New Mexico, he received his BFA in 1950 at the University of New Mexico. During this time he was the studio assistant to the Latvian printmaker Adja Yunkers. He counted among this friends Richard Diebenkorn and Agnes Martin as well as UNM instructor Enrique Montenegro and Raymond Jonson.
In 1953 he was one of the founders of the Modern Museum in Albuquerque, setting the stage for Albuquerque’s vibrant arts scene. In 1961, Walters became a registered architect and from 1971-1990 was professor Emeritus at the School of Architecture at the University of New Mexico. Walters traveled extensively in Spain, Portugal, Italy and Mexico and those travels are widely reflected in his works. As a young man in the 1950’s, Walters was internationally recognized abstract expressionist. After receiving his degree in architecture in the 1960’s his work increasingly incorporated the architectural elements of a landscape or interior space with figures. His paintings are characterized by bold and vibrant colors with a distinctive nod to the Mexican muralists. His work is included in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the University of California, Berkeley and the Mexico City College, Mexico City.
EDUCATION
1961 Architect, Registered, NM
1950 BFA, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
1949 Studio Assistant of Adja Yunkers, Printmaking, College of Fine Arts, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
1948 Instituto de Technologico, Mexico D.F. Mural apprentice to Jose Clemente Orozco, Mexico City, Mexico
1942 DePaul University, Green Castle, IN
Wabash College for Men, Crawfordsville, IN
1939-41 John Herron Art Institute, Indianapolis, IN
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2008 “Distant Places” Eric Firestone Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ
2007 “A sense of Place” Sara Smith Contemporary Gallery, Corrales, NM
2005 “The Passage” The Albuquerque Museum, Albuquerque, NM
2003 “Passage” Klaudia Marr Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2003 “Taken from the Village: Images of New Mexico”, Klaudia Marr Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2001 “A Foreign Journey” van de Griff Marr Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
1999 “Cine Espanol: Lugares, Escenas & Protagonistas” (Places, Scenes and Actors), van de Griff Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
1998 “Pyramids, Mountains and People”, Van de Griff Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
1997 “New Work” San Ysidro Gallery, Corrales, NM
1994 “The Spanish Woman” San Ysidro Gallery, Corrales, NM
1993 “Robert Walters” Spirit Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
1990 “The Spanish Darks,” Raw Space Gallery, Albuquerque, NM
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2003 Paper: drawings and work on paper, Klaudia Marr Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2001 Beyond the Millennium, Evansville Museum of Arts, History & Science, Evansville, IN
1999 “Liberation: A Celebration of the Nude” Van de Griff Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
1996 “Human Nature” Dartmouth Street Gallery, Albuquerque, NM
1996 “Gallery Artists” Oxford Gallery Rochester, NY
1996 “Magnifico Exhibition” Albuquerque, NM
1991 “New Mexico Impressions” (prints) University of New Mexico Art Museum Albuquerque, NM
1991 “Paintings by Montenegro & Walters” Dartmouth Street Gallery, Albuquerque, NM
SELECTED COLLECTIONS AND AWARDS
Brooklyn Museum
Mexico City College
Museum of Modern Art
The University of California Museum of Art
University of New Mexico Museum of Art
Xerox Corporations
PUBLICATIONS
Lopez (2017) The Carved Line, Block Print making in New Mexico
The Anderson Graphic Arts, Museum of NM (2000) American Focus
Museum of Fine Arts, Museum of NM (1996) Voices in New Mexico Art
Clinton Adams (1991) Printmaking in New Mexico 1990-1990