Michael Handley received his BFA from the University of Utah and his MFA from the Yale School of Art in sculpture where he received the George R. Bunker Painting and Printmaking Award. Handley has exhibited internationally and nationally, including a timely exhibition in 2017 at the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art based on rain modification and drought-stricken landscapes. In 2019, Handley attended BANFF Centre for Arts and Creativity under the “Earthed” themed residency focusing on environmental degradation and was awarded the prestigious Louis Muhlstock Endowment for painting.
There are two distinctive things I remember about growing up in the 80’s. The first is watching the movie ‘Back to the Future’ on VHS. It was the first time I saw a movie dealing with themes of generational advancements and the compression of time. These themes made me feel like anything was possible, at any moment, to anyone. I still believe I can travel through time if I can get my car up to 88 mph and throw a banana peel into the engine at the same time. The second was reading a National Geographic article about global warming, which focused on a hole in the ozone layer over Australia. When I read this article, there was an urgency and sadness brought out in me. It was the first time I realized we could break the earth.
My mind and body are Western American: my early firings were influenced by landscapes barren vegetation, astounding rock formations, and the visual passage of time. I work with themes of landscape, transformation of nature, and the environment. I believe these are the most important cultural topics of the 21st Century.
Like so many others throughout history, I find myself creating and performing ceremonies, prayers, and rituals in the hope of connecting myself with the earth. This connective urge has led me to develop specific processes and use materials referencing the cause and effect of environmental and natural manipulation.
My learning of our ability to manipulate nature has amplified my fascination with the actual processes used to manipulate it. As new examples of environmental destruction are released, a new chapter titled "No Return" has been submitted for an environmental recovery and visions of that ‘Back to the Future’ time machine come rushing in. Once again, I ask myself how are we able to break the planet.