Bruce Warren Davis

A modern, multicolored bookshelf by Alfredo Quiroz features staggered shelves and vertical supports in various colors and textures, showcasing open spaces and a minimalist design.
A cluster of translucent, irregular plastic shapes hangs from the ceiling, casting a complex, cloud-like shadow on a plain white wall—a striking installation reminiscent of Bruce Warren Davis’s evocative sculptures.

Bruce Warren Davis

Born: 1947, Chicago, IL

Biography and Information

Biography
​Bruce Warren Davis (b. 1947) creates objects that sit at the intersection of functional design and art. His practice begins with the most humble materials, plastic en route to the landfill, broken furniture abandoned at the curb, and other remnants discarded by consumer culture. Through careful reconstruction, he transforms these overlooked materials into works that challenge assumptions about value and purpose, asking viewers to reconsider what is salvageable, useful, and worthy of attention. His approach reflects a commitment to rescuing the unwanted and revealing the potential embedded in everyday debris.

Born in Chicago, Illinois, Bruce Warren Davis grew up in a city marked by extreme weather, political turbulence, and a vibrant legacy of American design and improvisational theater. He arrived in New Mexico in 1973 and established a passive solar architecture practice three years later, completing more than two hundred projects over several decades. As construction costs rose dramatically, he shifted toward smaller-scale artistic work that continues to draw on his architectural sensibilities. Davis lives and works in Albuquerque, NM.

Education
1965 to 1970, Architecture and Art, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL

1969 to 1973 Apprenticed with Skidmore Owings and Merrill Architects

1975 Architectural license

Select Exhibitions
2026
The Art of ReUse, Richard Levy Gallery, Albuquerque, New Mexico
2017
Bruce Warren Davis and Mary Tsiongas, Richard Levy Gallery, Albuquerque, NM
2016
[ collaborative show with Maria Ross ], UNM Abrams Gallery, Albuquerque, NM
[ with projection by Karen Hipster ], Winning Coffee, Albuquerque, NM
2015
[ with projection by Karen Hipster ],  Central Features with 516 Arts, Albuquerque, NM
(Solo) Winning Coffee, Albuquerque, NM
2014
(Solo) Winning Coffee, Albuquerque, NM
(Solo) South Broadway Cultural Center, Albuquerque, NM
2013
(Solo) Zendo Coffee and Art, Albuquerque, NM

Collections
Clint and Debbie Dodge
Ray Graham
Trevor Lucero
Julia Mandeville
Meredith Monk
Augustine Romero
Nancy Salem
University of New Mexico, Jonson Gallery and Health Sciences

Press Release
2026 The Art of ReUse at Richard Levy Gallery
2017 Bruce Warren Davis and Mary Tsiongas at Richard Levy Gallery
2017 Richard Levy Gallery at Pulse Miami

.