The Life and Training of Michael Tetherow

Born in Tacoma, Michael Tetherow began his life in the Pacific Northwest, a setting that would eventually give way to the bustling energy of the East Coast. His early years were shaped by a dedicated pursuit of formal training, seeking out the institutions that would refine his hand and vision. He first sought knowledge at the University of Puget Sound, establishing a foundation for the years of study that were to follow. This academic beginning was merely the first step in a long path of artistic inquiry.

His hunger for craft led him further, as he moved through the Otis Art Institute and later the San Francisco Art Institute. Each of these institutions offered him new ways to understand the medium, allowing his skills to deepen through rigorous study. By the time he arrived in New York in the late 1960s, he was no longer merely a student but a man deeply immersed in the creative life of the city. This move marked a significant transition, placing him in the heart of a shifting landscape where his ambitions could finally find their footing.

Artistic Style and Evolution

The path of Michael Tetherow was one of profound transformation, moving from the physical presence of the canvas toward the depths of the human psyche. In his early years in New York, he found himself under the heavy influence of the abstract expressionist movement. His work from the 1980s emerged as a distinct example of abstractionism, where he wrestled with the tension between the object and the image. He began to move emphatically away from painting as a mere physical object, seeking instead to use paint as a vessel for memory and meaning. This shift was not an easy one, marked by a certain reluctance to leave behind the hermeticism of modernism.

As his vision matured, the abstraction of his youth gave way to a more figurative, though highly distorted, language. He abandoned the simple cutout holes that once merely declared the physicality of the canvas, turning instead to the depiction of eyes and masks. This evolution led him to a style where the face became a state of mind, appearing in various states of trauma or trance. He often chose delirium over a deadpan delivery, pushing his subjects toward an elemental experience of nature. His compositions frequently featured a monolithic visage that seemed to stream down the plane of the canvas, often characterized by a striking absence of a mouth. This muteness was intentional, designed to encourage a more visionary perception in the viewer.

Exhibitions and Major Collections

His presence in the art world was felt most strongly through his engagement with the galleries of New York. He brought his vision to the Bykert Gallery, and later found space within the Robert Miller Gallery and the Jason McCoy Gallery. These exhibitions allowed his evolving language of paint to meet the scrutiny of the city's discerning eyes, marking a period of significant professional activity during his years in the metropolitan center.

The enduring nature of his work is reflected in the many institutions that have seen fit to preserve his output. His paintings and prints have found permanent homes within the Whitney Museum and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Such placements ensure that his specific approach to figuration and abstraction remains available to those who study the history of American art.

Beyond these major hubs, his legacy is held in several other esteemed repositories. The Brooklyn Museum maintains works from his hand, as does the Parrish Art Museum. His contributions are also part of the collections at the Wadworth Athenaeum, ensuring his influence reaches across various regional and specialized institutions.

Notable Works and Museum Presence

The legacy of Michael Tetherow finds its way into several significant institutions, where his presence is felt through both his own hand and the lens of others. In the Dallas Museum of Art, his work titled Face G resides, offering a glimpse into the specific visual language he developed. Similarly, the Seattle Art Museum holds Face #11, a piece that contributes to the broader understanding of his artistic output within their permanent collections.

The Brooklyn Museum also maintains a connection to his life and work through a variety of media. Within their holdings, one finds a gelatin silver print from 1990, a work that captures a specific moment in his career. This collection is further enriched by a photograph by Arthur Mones, also dating to 1990, which provides a different perspective on the artist through the medium of photography.