Pittman's American father met his Colombian mother while the former was working abroad in the latter's homeland.[2] At the age of five, Pittman's family moved back to Colombia, returning to California in 1963. In contrast to his childhood in Colombia, Pittman's experience in the United States keeps him alert to "the overwhelming hatred that is exhibited by the American population and through actual legislation against homosexuals.”[3][4]
Career
Pittman received his MFA from Cal Arts in 1976 studying with Elizabeth Murray, Vija Celmins, and Miriam Schapiro. Afterwards, Pittman began working in the interior design business with Angelo Donghia, where he worked with music and entertainment clientele.[5] Pittman was the singular male student within the Feminist program in the 1970s.[6] During this time, Pittman began showing his work at Rosamund Felsen Gallery.[7] Pittman asserts, "One of my strongest memories from those years is of how patterning and color were so relentlessly gendered." He continues, "I’d show somebody a textile or something, and a common answer would be, no, that’s too feminine, or it’s too masculine.[8] Always within the framework of gender construction binaries.[9] In 1985, Pittman was shot at his Silver Lake apartment and recovered from gun shot wounds.[1] This experience would forever impact his work and further his determination to paint large-scale.
In David Pagel's interview with Pittman, he concludes that Pittman's paintings include "imaginary organic forms, runaway arrows, and arabesques, transform ornamentation into a contemporary narrative of life and death, love and sex." He also believes "Pittman's operatic pictures propose that the world's complexity does not override passion, sincerity, and individuality."[10] When talking about his own work, Pittman states: "at times, I purposefully orchestrate the work so that you do have that comfortable laughter when looking at it—it's full-hearted and enjoyable internally—but it's also a laughter linked to nervousness. And that's the laughter I particularly like cultivating, parlor laughter, where there's always the subtext of conversation going on, but everyone is very agreeable."[10] Mayer Russ of Architectural Digest writes, "Pittman’s obsessions—political and personal trauma, with an incisive eye on the lamentable state of current world affairs—is a welcome tonic to the glittery, Koons-and-Hirst-variety theatrics that often dominate contemporary art discourse."[11] Pittman targets colonial dismemberment in his newest body of work.[12]
In 1996 Pittman's work was the subject of a mid career survey at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.[17] Describing his work as "encumbered, tethered, tied-in, [and[ chaperoned,” Leah Olmen of ArtNews asserts Pittman's work is about "History and sexuality, memory and experience, philosophy and poetry, humor and rage share the stage in exquisite imbalance, the whole a manifesto against reductionism and an endorsement.[2]"
In 2019, Pittman had a solo retrospective show titled "Declaration of Independence" at the Hammer Museum in Westwood, Los Angeles. Christopher Knight of the Los Angeles Times recalled, "For the first time, the Hammer has turned over virtually all its main exhibition spaces to a comprehensive survey of a single artist — a testament to his singular achievement and broad influence." Knight expands, "Pittman’s work is often discussed in terms of its radical commitments to adornment. Spectacular gardens, decorated eggs, blue and white porcelains, Dutch still lifes and Spanish interiors, ladies and gentlemen taking tea in drawing rooms — the list is endless, stuffed into jam-packed paintings."[3]
Pittman's first solo show in South Korea opened at Lehmann Maupin in Seoul.[18]
Pittman is included in several esteemed art collections including the Eli and Edythe Broad collection at The Broad in Los Angeles, United States.[20]
Personal life
Pittman considers himself to be an atheist. At CalArts, Pittman met his partner Roy Dowell with whom he has lived ever since.[21] Together Pittman and Dowell lived in a 1952 Richard Neutra home called the "Dorothy Serulnic Residence" and an adjacent Michael Maltzan home. Flea (musician) of the Red Hot Chili Peppers purchased the property in 2019 for $4.25 million. The Neutra house is currently on the market again. Pittman currently resides in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles.[22]
Awards and honors
Board Memberships:
2015 – 2018: MOCA, Los Angeles, Artist on the Board of Trustees
2008 – present: Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, Board of Overseers
Awards:
2013 International Association of Art Critics United States Exhibition Award Winner
2012 International Association of Art Critics Award
