De Wain Valentine
Artist
De Wain Valentine in front of Gray Column, 1975–76, during the polishing stage. © De Wain Valentine. Photo courtesy of De Wain Valentine
De Wain Valentine was born in 1936 in Colorado, where his early experiences polishing rocks and painting cars fostered a deep interest in reflective surfaces, translucence, and industrial processes. Attracted by the work of artists such as Larry Bell, Craig Kauffman, and Ken Price, which he learned about by reading the magazine Artforum, Valentine moved to Los Angeles in 1965 and had his first solo show at Ace Gallery in 1968. Influenced by the seascapes and skies of Southern California, Valentine was an early pioneer of using industrial plastics and resin to produce monumental sculptures that reflect and distort the light and space that surround them. His contribution to the plastics industry made him stand out from his contemporaries working in these materials: Valentine developed a modified polyester resin so that he could cast colossal objects in a single pour, the material being sold as Valentine MasKast resin.
Works of Art
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Red Concave Circle, 1970, De Wain Valentine. Cast polyester resin. 96 x 96 x 12 in. Bank of America Collection. © De Wain Valentine. Photo: Harry Drinkwater
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Gray Column, 1975–76, De Wain Valentine. Polyester resin. 140 x 87 1/2 x 9 1/2 in. Lent by De Wain Valentine. Artwork © De Wain Valentine
Explore the Archive
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Video: Learn about the research and activities of the Getty Conservation Institute that went into the planning of the exhibition From Start to Finish: De Wain Valentine's Gray Column.
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Video: Surface Matters—learn about the role of and upkeep for the pristine surfaces on De Wain Valentine's sculptures through the work of the Getty Conservation Institute.
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Video: MasKast Resin, the polyester developed by De Wain Valentine to create his large-scale sculptures, is explored by the Getty Conservation Institute.
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Video: De Wain Valentine and the L.A. Art Scene in the 1960s and 70s is explored by the Getty Conservation Institute.
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De Wain Valentine in front of Gray Column, 1975–76, during the polishing stage. © De Wain Valentine. Photo courtesy of De Wain Valentine
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De Wain Valentine polishing Gray Column in 1976. © De Wain Valentine. Photo courtesy of De Wain Valentine
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De Wain Valentine in his Venice studio with one of his eight-foot Circle polyester pieces, 1970s. Artwork © De Wain Valentine. Photo © Harry Drinkwater
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De Wain Valentine in his Venice studio. Photo: © Cathy Weiner
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Slideshow: Documentation of De Wain Valentine‘s Circle series of polyester resin circles, 1960s. Artwork © De Wain Valentine. Photo © Harry Drinkwater
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Slideshow: Gray Column moves from conservator Jack Brogan’s studio to the J. Paul Getty Museum, 2011. Artwork © De Wain Valentine
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De Wain Valentine and two of his studio assistants, Chris D'Arcangelo (left) and Keith Anderson (right), 1975–76. Photo © Cathy Weiner
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Slideshow: De Wain Valentine’s process of creating Gray Column, 1975–76. © De Wain Valentine. First, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 8th photo by and © Cathy Weiner; 2nd and 3rd photo by Sean Valentine
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Two Gray Walls, 1975–76, De Wain Valentine. Cast polyester resin. © De Wain Valentine. Photo courtesy of De Wain Valentine
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Rani Singh of the Getty Research Institute and Jack Brogan, conservator, inspect De Wain Valentine's Red Concave Circle in Brogan's studio in Inglewood, California, June 17, 2011. © De Wain Valentine
