Peter Halley

Peter Halley is a New York–based painter, writer, and educator whose work helped define late-20th-century geometric abstraction. Since the 1980s he’s been known for his diagrammatic “cells” and “conduits,” rendered with fluorescent color and industrial textures to probe how technology and architecture shape social space. His surfaces often use Roll-a-Tex and Day-Glo acrylics, giving the paintings their gritty, electric presence. Beyond the studio, Halley has been an influential voice and organizer: he published Index magazine (1996–2005), wrote widely cited essays linking French post-structuralist theory to contemporary visual culture, and served as Director of Graduate Studies in Painting/Printmaking at the Yale School of Art (2002–2011). His practice also extends to immersive installations and large-scale wall works shown internationally.