Peter Cain

1959 - 1997

Quick facts

  • Museums on this site: Art Institute of Chicago
  • Born: 1959, United States
  • Top 3 works: Pathfinder
  • Also known as:
    • بيتر كين
    • Питер Кэйн
  • Art period: Contemporary
  • Top-ranked work: Pathfinder

The Art of Peter Cain

Peter Cain was a painter and draftsperson born in Orange, New Jersey. His artistic practice involved the meticulous execution of paintings and drawings, often focusing on surreal and aberrant versions of automobiles. His early works drew subjects from advertisements for luxury sedans, high end sports coupes, muscle cars, and rare or vintage automobiles. To create these forms, he frequently began by collaging source material to produce distorted and abbreviated versions of a vehicle's original shape, using these collages as studies for his final paintings.

In his later work, Cain shifted his focus toward Los Angeles gas stations and convenience stores. These landscapes were characterized by a lack of human presence and the erasure of logos and type from various signs. In these pieces, foliage was rendered using micro-faceted masses of green paint. His career included representation by the Matthew Marks Gallery in New York and participation in the Whitney Biennial.

Exhibitions and Collections

The work of Peter Cain is held in several prominent public collections, including:

His exhibitions spanned various locations, including the Daniel Weinberg Gallery in Santa Monica and the Galerie Aurel Scheibler in Cologne. His paintings and drawings were featured in several exhibitions at the Matthew Marks Gallery in New York.

Questions & Answers

Where are Peter Cain's artworks organized by color?

The Spectral Index page organizes Peter Cain's artworks by color.

Can I browse Peter Cain's works by mood?

The Mood Room of Peter Cain is a page that arranges the artist's artworks by mood.

How can I see every artwork made by Peter Cain?

Every work by Peter Cain on this website can be browsed from the artist's All Artworks page.

Can I study Peter Cain's use of color across all works?

Peter Cain's use of color across the works listed on this website can be studied on the artist's Palette Genome page.

Quick quiz

There is only one correct answer for each question.

Question 1:
In which city was Peter Cain born?
Question 2:
Which art institution did Cain attend from 1977 to 1980?
Question 3:
What was the subject of Cain's paintings in 1996?
Question 4:
Which gallery represented Peter Cain during his lifetime?
Question 5:
In which year was the work 'Pathfinder' included in the Whitney Biennial?