Robert Wilhite

Robert Wilhite is a Senior Lecturer at Otis College of Art and Design, specializing in product design. With over 46 years of experience as an artist and designer, his career spans academic teaching, collaborative performances, and international exhibitions. Wilhite holds an MFA in Fine Art from UC Northridge and a BFA in Fine Art from UC Irvine, alongside an MFA in New Genres from UCLA and a BA in Cultural Anthropology from the University of North Carolina at Asheville.

• Education
  • MFA, Fine Art, UC Northridge
  • BFA, Fine Art, UC Irvine
  • MFA, New Genres, University of California Los Angeles
  • B.A., Cultural Anthropology, Magna Cum Laude, University of North Carolina at Asheville

Wilhite’s research interests focus on sound art, musical sculptures, and conceptual performance art. His interdisciplinary work bridges visual art, theater, and design, exemplified by collaborations with Guy de Cointet and curatorial projects like the 1979 LAICA exhibition "Sound." Recent projects include De Stijl/Constructivist-inspired installations such as "Bob’s Your Uncle" (2014) and "Bob’s Pogo Bar" (2016).

His awards include multiple National Endowment for the Arts grants (1979–1986) and a CETA Grant (1977). Wilhite has exhibited globally, with notable participations in Pacific Standard Time events (2011–2012) and international festivals in Belgium, Mexico, and the Netherlands.

Wilhite maintains an active practice from his Los Angeles studio and workshop, producing artworks and designs that challenge traditional boundaries. His teaching roles include institutions like Sandberg Institute, HEAD Geneva, and Santa Monica College of Design, Art, and Architecture (1989–2000).