The Works of Robert Singleton

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A Matter of Conscience

The Works of Robert Singleton

Robert Singleton discusses his Exhibition

Memento Mori

Video Recording of Gallery Talk

The 50-Year Artistic Journey: Singleton's Works from 1975

to Present-Day "Memento Mori" Exhibition

March 2025 marks a profound milestone in contemporary art history, as two

paintings first exhibited half a century ago find new life and context in a

current exhibition. These works, which debuted on March 14, 1975, at

Galleries International in Winter Park, Florida, have emerged from decades

of storage to join the "Memento Mori" exhibition at Gradient Projects in

Thomas, West Virginia. This remarkable connection spanning fifty years

offers scholars and art enthusiasts a rare opportunity to examine the

evolution of artistic expression while contemplating the enduring relevance

of existential themes in visual art.

Historical Context: The 1975 Exhibition at Galleries International

The original exhibition that opened on March 14, 1975, at Galleries

International represented a significant moment in the development of

contemporary American art during the mid-1970s. This period was

characterized by diverse artistic movements responding to the sociopolitical

climate of post-Vietnam America, the continuing influence of abstract

expressionism, and emerging conceptual approaches. Singleton's works

appeared during this transformative era, offering viewers a distinctive visual

exploration of existential themes that would resonate across decades. The

exhibition featured Singleton's large-scale paintings, which immediately

distinguished themselves through their ambitious examination of

philosophical concepts rendered visually.

After the 1975 exhibition concluded, the featured works entered a period of

extended storage, preserved but largely unseen by the public for many years.

This dormancy, rather than diminishing their impact, has created a

fascinating time capsule effect, where contemporary viewers can now

encounter these works with fresh perspectives informed by five decades of

artistic and cultural developments. The preservation of these paintings

through the intervening years speaks to their physical durability and the

foresight of collectors or institutions who recognized their lasting

significance.

Singleton's Artistic Vision and Philosophical Inquiry

Singleton's work demonstrates a profound preoccupation with fundamental

dichotomies of human existence. Through his large-scale canvases, the artist

visually represents what he describes as "the edges of our mystical

understanding of light and life, darkness and death." This exploration

positions his work within a long tradition of artists confronting mortality and

transcendence, yet his particular approach reflects his era's specific cultural

and philosophical concerns. The expansive scale of his works suggests an

attempt to address the immensity of these existential questions, creating

immersive visual environments that engage viewers in contemplation

beyond the merely representational.

In his own reflections on his creative process, Singleton reveals the

psychological tensions inherent in exploring such profound territories. "I

became unnerved when it occurred to me that this painting could be for the

edification of the dark side of humanity," he acknowledges, pointing to the

moral ambiguity that often accompanies artistic investigations of human

nature. His conflict resolution demonstrates a nuanced understanding of

psychological complexity: "My thinking was resolved by concluding that we

carry both sides inside of us and that the dark can inspire people." This

insight positions his work not as a celebration of darkness but as an honest

engagement with the full spectrum of human experience, acknowledging

that confrontation with shadow aspects can lead to greater wholeness and

understanding.

"Memento Mori" at Gradient Projects: Contemporary Context

The current "Memento Mori" exhibition at Gradient Projects in Thomas,

West Virginia, provides a particularly fitting context for the reemergence of

Singleton's works. The Latin phrase "memento mori," translating to

"remember that you must die," references a centuries-old artistic tradition

concerned with the contemplation of mortality. This thematic framework

resonates powerfully with Singleton's original preoccupations with light and

darkness, life and death, creating a conceptual continuity across the fifty-

year span. The curatorial decision to include these historical works within a

contemporary exhibition demonstrates the timelessness of these existential

questions while inviting viewers to consider how perspectives on mortality

have evolved since the mid-1970s.

Gradient Projects, as a contemporary art space in the small town of Thomas,

represents the changing geography of art presentation in America. While

major metropolitan centers continue to dominate the art world, significant

cultural spaces in smaller communities have increasingly become important

sites for meaningful artistic engagement. This relocation of Singleton's work

from Winter Park, Florida, to Appalachian West Virginia also reflects broader

shifts in America's cultural landscape over the past half-century, suggesting

new dialogues between regions and traditions that might not have been

anticipated when the works first appeared.

The Dialogue Between Past and Present

The inclusion of Singleton's fifty-year-old paintings in "Memento Mori"

creates a unique temporal conversation within the gallery space.

Contemporary visitors encounter these works with perspectives unavoidably

shaped by five decades of cultural, technological, and societal changes. What

viewers might have experienced when standing before these same canvases

in 1975 would necessarily differ from today's reception, influenced by

intervening artistic movements, shifting cultural values, and personal

experiences of viewers who may not have been born when the works were

created. This temporal dialogue enriches the historical works and the

contemporary exhibition context, demonstrating how meaning in art

continues to evolve through new juxtapositions and interpretations.

Singleton's invitation to explore "the source of light" takes on new

resonances in our current era of environmental awareness, digital

illumination, and ongoing spiritual searching. His works serve as artifacts

from a pre-internet age when existential questions were engaged through

different cultural frameworks. Yet, their continued ability to provoke

contemplation affirms the persistence of fundamental human concerns

across technological and social transformations. The paintings function as

both historical documents and living artworks, their meanings continuously

renewed through each viewer's engagement.

The Artistic Exploration of Duality

Singleton's acknowledgment of the interplay between light and dark aspects

of humanity positions his work within a rich philosophical tradition

examining the nature of duality. His statement that "we carry both sides

inside of us" reflects a sophisticated understanding of human psychology

that anticipates later developments in understanding shadow integration

and wholeness. Rather than presenting simplistic moral dichotomies, his

work suggests that confrontation with darkness represents a necessary

aspect of human development and self-knowledge. This nuanced approach

to duality remains relevant in contemporary discourse, particularly as society

navigates complex ethical questions about human nature and potential.

The large-scale format of Singleton's paintings physically manifests this

exploration of boundaries and thresholds. By creating works that exceed the

normal field of vision, requiring viewers to scan across expansive surfaces,

Singleton establishes a bodily relationship to philosophical inquiry. The

physical experience of encountering these works becomes part of their

meaning, as viewers navigate their own position in relation to

representations of cosmic forces and existential questions. This embodied

dimension of viewing connects to phenomenological approaches to art

appreciation that emphasize the importance of lived experience in

generating meaning.

Conclusion: The Continuity of Artistic Inquiry

The remarkable journey of Singleton's paintings from their 1975 debut to

their current exhibition in "Memento Mori" exemplifies the enduring power

of art to transcend its historical moment while remaining connected to its

origins. This fifty-year arc offers a valuable opportunity to consider how

artistic works continue to generate meaning across time, speaking to new

generations while carrying traces of their original contexts. For

contemporary viewers, the experience of encountering works that have

physically endured for half a century provides a tangible connection to

artistic inquiries that preceded our current moment yet continue to resonate

with present concerns.

The reemergence of these specific paintings also raises important questions

about artistic legacy, preservation, and the cyclical nature of cultural

attention. Many works from past decades remain in storage or private

collections, and their potential contributions to contemporary discourse are

temporarily suspended. The curatorial decision to bring Singleton's works

back into public view after such an extended period demonstrates how

thoughtful contextualization can reactivate artistic significance. As these

paintings enter their second half-century of existence, they continue to invite

viewers to contemplate the boundaries between light and darkness, life and

death, and the mysterious territories where human understanding reaches

its limits.

The Works of Robert Singleton