WHITNEY BEDFORD | SAN LUIS OBISPO MUSEUM OF ART

The Window intricately bridges the natural, the historical, and the imagined. Veduta - a term often referenced in Bedford’s practice is Italian for view - is often used in art history for large-scale and site-specific landscapes. Painters have been celebrating their most beloved vistas accordingly for hundreds of years. Each artwork acts as a portal, depicting contrasting times, emotional states, and climate realities. Utilizing vividly bright neon colors, and uniquely Californian plant life, Bedford’s process is one of meticulous detail - allowing the works to become three dimensional the longer you look.  

Almost all the works included in this exhibition directly reference iconic landscape painters of the past 300 years. These nods to past masters infuse her contemporary vision with layers of meaning, building on the contexts of the original works and overlaying them with the present moment. There is an invitation for sincere reflection in these works - particularly on the climate realities of our earth, how much has changed, and how we collectively respond now. With these rich thematic throughlines, The Window ultimately invites viewers to reflect on their own perceptions of place and the landscapes that shape our memories and daily lives.