The grid Quattrocento Portraits is now on view in the Vatican Museums at the foot of the stairs to the Sistine Chapel

 

When I visited the Vatican last Thursday I was amazed to discover that the second grid that I made for the project A Matter of Light, Sistine Gestures: Quattrocento Portraits, was now on the wall at the foot of the stairs to the Sistine Chapel while the grid that’s usually there is on loan to the Casa Buonarroti. When I expressed my amazement, Micol Forti, the curator, merely said with a wry smile, “well, all the nails were already in place.”

La Sistina di Michelangelo Un'icona multimediale Sept. 25—January 7 at Casa Buonarroti, Firenze

I have been invited to have a conversation with art historian Tommaso Casini at the Casa Buonarroti in Florence on Wednesday, September 24 at11am. Casa Buonarroti is Michelangelo's house! This is beyond my wildest dreams. My work in the Vatican Museums is now on loan for an exhibition there. The exhibition will be up until January 7, 2026.

I am with Barbara Jatta, Director of the Vatican Museums, in front of the installation of my grid Sistine Gestures: Last Judgment, now on loan to the Casa Buonarroti in Firenze for the exhibition The Sistine Chapel of Michelangelo, a Multimedia Icon. (Photo by Sonia Lenzi.)

Experimental Photography Festival Barcelona invited me to tp speak at webinar September 17, 2025

click to view webinar

 

The French magazine ACUMEN recently published my image on the cover and the following article.

 

Figure #85 is in the exhibition Blur, Obscure, Distort at the Norton Museum, West Palm Beach, FL, through August 24, 2025

       

Top Left:  Bill Armstrong, Figure #85, 2003, 20"x24"

   

 

https://www.norton.org/exhibitions/current-exhibitions

Click Here For Complete Checklist

Two Mandalas are in the exhibition Perception at Bartow Pell Mansion Museum in the Bronx, April 5-27

bartow pell mansion

Vatican Museums' Post on Halloween

Much to my amazement, the Vatican Museums created a video about the importance of Halloween (All Saint's Day) in Michelangelo's creation in the Sistine Chapel, and somehow they connected me to all of this!

Click the image below for full resolution

Link to original post and video: https://www.instagram.com/p/DBx9TBCoSWA/ 

"Lightform" at HackelBury Fine Art Through November 23rd: Review in Museé Magazine.

Museé Magazine:
https://museemagazine.com/culture/2024/10/9/bill-armstrong-light-form-hackelbury-fine-art-london

Oct 10 Bill Armstrong: Light Form
HackelBury Fine Art, London

© Bill Armstrong

MANDALA #450, 2003

(courtesy of HackelBury Fine Art, London)

Written by AnnaRose Goldwitz

Gallery Website: https://hackelbury.co.uk


Bill Armstrong’s latest exhibition, Light Form, on view at HackelBury Fine Art in London, immerses viewers into a world of vibrant abstraction, where the boundaries of photography blur into painterly gestures. Known for his "Infinity" series, Armstrong continues to explore the ephemeral nature of perception, this time with a focus on the interplay of light, color, and form.

Upon entering the gallery, the viewer is immediately struck by the ethereal quality of Armstrong’s work. Using an out-of-focus technique, he creates compositions that seem to vibrate with energy, their boundaries soft and undefined, inviting contemplation. The works feel both fluid and static, as if capturing moments just beyond the grasp of memory or recognition. Each photograph seems to invite prolonged attention, revealing new layers of complexity as one’s eyes adjust to the nuances in tone and hue.

© Bill Armstrong

MANDALA #4050, 2024

(courtesy of HackelBury Fine Art, London)

© Bill Armstrong

BLUE SPHERE #433, 2002

(courtesy of HackelBury Fine Art, London)

At the heart of Light Form is Armstrong’s mastery of color. His use of rich, saturated shades—deep blues, vibrant oranges, and striking reds—creates an almost otherworldly atmosphere. The colors bleed into one another in a way that feels organic, yet controlled. The viewer is left with a sense of weightlessness, as if suspended within the works themselves.

One of the most compelling aspects of Armstrong's photography is his ability to challenge the medium's conventions. In Light Form, he pushes the boundaries of what we expect from a photograph. By intentionally leaving his subjects blurred and out of focus, Armstrong strips away the sharpness and detail often associated with photographic representation, instead focusing on the abstract and emotional resonance of color and light. In doing so, he bridges the gap between photography and painting, creating a dialogue between the two disciplines.

© Bill Armstrong

DARSHAN #1906, 2023

(courtesy of HackelBury Fine Art, London)

© Bill Armstrong

DARSHAN #1910, 2023

(courtesy of HackelBury Fine Art, London)

The works in Light Form also carry a contemplative quality, evoking themes of impermanence and the passage of time. The soft edges and ghostly forms remind us of the fleeting nature of vision and memory, where clarity often eludes us. Armstrong’s refusal to provide crisp, clear imagery forces us to confront the idea that our perception of reality is always in flux.

In a world saturated with high-definition imagery, Armstrong’s Light Form is a refreshing reminder of photography’s ability to transcend literal representation. It encourages the viewer to look beyond the surface and engage with the emotional and atmospheric qualities of the work. The exhibition challenges us to consider how we see and experience the world, suggesting that perhaps there is more to reality than what meets the eye.

© Bill Armstrong

BLUE SQUARE #4020, 2024

(courtesy of HackelBury Fine Art, London)

© Bill Armstrong

MANDALA #4051, 2009

(courtesy of HackelBury Fine Art, London)

In conclusion, Light Form is a mesmerizing exhibition that showcases Bill Armstrong’s continued evolution as an artist. His work deftly navigates the line between photography and abstraction, inviting viewers to explore the nuances of light, color, and perception. The exhibition at HackelBury Fine Art is a must-see for those interested in the transformative potential of photography as an artistic medium.

Read an interview with the artist done by HackelBury Fine Art
https://drive.google.com/file/d/16BMZ3tmyT6loMyLwW8ixzHte64lt_G97/view?usp=sharing

I'm pleased to announce the exhibition, Hero/Anti-Hero at Palau de la Música Catalana, Barcelona: Oct 7–Dec 15, Reception Oct 7 at 6:30–8pm

Link to Palau de la Música: https://www.palaumusica.cat/en
Link to Viewing Room: https://hackelbury.co.uk/viewing-room/9-bill-armstrong-at-palau-de-la-musica-barcelona/

                                                    

Press appearances:

Núvol: https://www.nuvol.com/art/bill-armstrong-porta-els-seus-herois-i-antiherois-al-palau-de-la-musica-400099

Diari Ara: https://www.ara.cat/especials/fotografies-bill-armstrong-nova-temporada-palau-musica-catalana_130_5164865.html

El Periodico https://www.elperiodico.com/es/ocio-y-cultura/20241018/palau-musica-catalana-inaugura-temporada-109333376

Revista Musical Catalana: https://www.revistamusical.cat/el-palau-de-la-musica-acull-una-exposicio-fotografica-de-bill-armstrong-centrada-en-la-figura-de-lheroi/

La Vanguardia: https://www.lavanguardia.com/vida/20241009/10008850/palau-musica-expone-veintena-fotografias-norteamericano-bill-armstrong-agenciaslv20241009.html

I'm pleased to announce Light Form, a solo show at Hackelbury Fine Art, September 27–November 23, Reception October 11th, 5–8pm

Bill Armstrong: Light Form

Exhibition: 27th September - 23rd November

Artist's Reception: 11th October, 5-8pm

HackelBury is pleased to present Light Form, a solo exhibition by Bill Armstrong.

Bill Armstrong (American b.1952) is renowned for his distinctive technique of photographing collages, creating an illusionary effect that blurs the line between reality and artistic construction. His process subjects the images to a series of manipulations including photocopying, cutting, painting and re-photographing that transform the originals and gives them a new meaning and context. This approach allows Armstrong to explore themes of impermanence, abstraction and the boundaries of visual perception.

  

Armstrong explores the boundaries of the visible edge to create ethereal and dreamlike images. Light Form further delves into his fascination with impermanence and abstraction, creating otherworldly compositions which encourage viewers to contemplate their own reality.

“Extreme de-focusing enables me to blend and distil hues, creating rhapsodies of colour that are meditative pieces—glimpses into a space of pure colour, beyond our focus, beyond our ken."

The exhibition includes abstract works from Armstrong’s Mandalas, Blue Spheres, and Darshan series, which reference Eastern philosophy and spirituality.

Install View of Works by Bill Armstrong in Light Form
(Left to Right : Blue Sphere #437, 2002 ; Blue Sphere #433, 2002, Blue Sphere #423, 2012)

Bill Armstrong, Blue Sphere #4020, 2024

HackelBury Fine Art
4 Launceston Place
London W8 5RL
T: +44 20 7937 8668