Gary Sweeney American, b. 1952

Gary Sweeney appropriates commercial signage and found objects to create paintings, sculptures, and installations that humorously confront controversial topics. In his text-based compositions, he often uses linguistic puzzles and famous quotations to question the progress of society. The artist mocks the patterns of social Darwinism and exposes the discrepancies and contradictions in current governmental, economic, and social milieux.

Sweeney received an MFA from the University of California at Irvine in 1975. Solo exhibitions of his work have been held at Lawndale Art Center, Houston, Texas (2003); Robischon Gallery, Denver, Colorado (2002); and Tokyo Project, Japan (2002). He has participated in numerous group exhibitions, including New American Talent, ArtHouse, Austin, Texas (2004); Word, University of Dallas, Irving, Texas (2003); and Texas Biennial, The McKinney Avenue Contemporary, Dallas (2001).