Di Rosa Center for Contemporary art celebrates works of William Wiley

The di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art’s current exhibition “Fort Phooey: Wiley in the Studio,” recreates the studio space of well-known North Bay artist William T. Wiley, who died in early 2021. Wiley’s studio space was a work of art in itself and a meeting place for generations of Bay Area artists.

In di Rosa’s Gallery 1, the exhibition allows visitors to experience the sights and sounds of Wiley’s iconic San Francisco Bay Area studio, combining more than 50 original works from di Rosa’s collection with archival objects on loan from the artist's estate.

Wiley’s Marin County studio was perhaps his greatest work of art. Densely layered with words, images and objects that meandered into his work and back out again, it was nothing less than an immersive assemblage, according to di Rosa officials.

“Being in the studio was like entering into a Wiley artwork,” said curator Kate Eilertsen in an announcement of the exhibit, which runs through Oct. 31. “The effect could be dizzying. Every surface was covered with scrawled wordplay, found objects and other elements of his distinctive visual vocabulary.” The "Fort Phooey" part of the exhibition title is taken from a little-known work in the di Rosa collection titled "Fort Phooey Mandala,” which Wiley created as a meditative exercise in his studio.

Inviting visitors into Wiley’s studio, the exhibition draws attention to the legacy of his artistic practice. “Wiley’s studio practice—rooted in Zen mysticism and an ethos of open-ended play — was imitated by artists ranging from Bruce Nauman to Deborah Butterfield,” states Eilertsen. “To understand his profound impact, it is necessary to grapple with the legacy of his practice as well as the work itself.”

The exhibition is both immersive and participatory, and will include such details as Wiley’s final painting he was working on at the time of his death; his workbench and sketchbook; the sounds of iconic radio station KPFA, which informed the political and environmental emphasis of many of his works; works by artists who influenced Wiley’s work including Wally Hedrick; musical instruments he encouraged visitors to play when they visited; and objects such as chalkboards and dunce caps that often appeared in his two-dimensional and three-dimensional work.

Visitors will be prompted to create their own artworks and add them to a community wall inside the exhibition space.

In celebration of harvest time in Napa Valley, di Rosa will stay open on Saturday until 5 p.m. through Oct. 30. The center will continue to stay open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays and Sundays. Di Rosa is located at 5200 Sonoma Highway, Napa.

For more information visit dirosaart.org.