William A. Hall spent nearly two decades of his life homeless. More than half of that time he lived in a car.
Yet remarkably out of these conditions he produced a substantial body of important artwork.
Built on the common unit of 11 x 8.5 inch drawing sheets Will produced a complex array of single and multiple panel images that speak of optimism, safety and survival.
Every picture has it’s own story and relates to things that are happening around him in his life at each momnent
Will’s images of landscape, constructions and retrofuturistic vehicles essentially grow out of his subconscious and are given form by the creative act of drawing.
‘The cars finely executed by artist William A. Hall transcend their original function to become all-powerful engines, reinforced with shockproof curvilinear armatures designed for protection. They are transplanted at the heart of Lilliputian proliferating universes or post-apocalyptic deserted scenes, victims of an invasive nature. These detailed drawings – conceived in series – evoke all together the super-functionality of Heinrich Anton Müller’s machines, the thematic obsession of a Charles Dellschau, and the atmosphere of hyperrealistic futuristic illustrations.’
Valérie Rousseau, Curator, Self-Taught Art and Art Brut, American Folk Art Museum, New York
The artist will be included in two forthcoming museum shows, one at the American Visionary Art Museum ‘The Secret Life of Earth’, beginning in August 2019 and running through September 2020, and the other at Art et Marges, Brussels, commencing 3rd October and running through to 2nd February 2020. The title of this second exhibition is ”L’Amérique N’Existe Pas” (‘America Doesn’t Exist’), the title inspired by the Henry Miller citation.
Collections:
American Folk Art Museum
