"The artist is basically a reflection of his time and place. I suppose to a certain extent it reflects the social conditions that have surrounded me, as I have developed through my lifetime - and it reflects how I feel about those circumstances. But I prefer not to dwell on that - and I just love the process of making art." - Francis Hines
Francis Mattson Hines was an artist known for his wrapped paintings, sculptures, and public art projects, notably the wrapping of the Washington Square Arch in 1980. Despite initial acclaim, he slipped into obscurity, but his work was salvaged after his death. The exhibition aims to revive Hines' career, highlighting his unique vision and use of tension in art. Hines' "Untitled" work demonstrates his fascination with cars and the process of embedding synthetic fabric into his paintings. His most famous project was wrapping the Washington Square Arch with white polyester fabric. Hines' approach to wrapping differed from conceptual artists like Man Ray and Christo; he focused on the aesthetic and kinetic energy created by the tension in his works. Born in Washington, DC, Hines worked as a commercial illustrator and gained attention in the 1960s for his personal artistic practice. Despite falling out of public view, his art has been rediscovered posthumously through exhibitions like "Unwrapping the Mystery of New York's Wrapper."