Rico Gatson
Peter Hildebrand
Charles Koegel
Geoffrey Owen Miller
Driss Ouadahi
Paul Pagk
Nathlie Provosty
Dannielle Tegeder
Jeanette Ingberman
Papo Colo
Herb Tam
An exhibition of new paintings by 8 artists whose deployment of geometry exposes organizational structures from microscopic, political, and spiritual dimensions. These artists propose that geometry isn't necessarily abstract, but that it is actually a form of reality. Their hand-crafted, anarchic/controlled forms undercut geometric abstraction's historical ties to utopian idealism.
"[The Universe] is written in the language of mathematics, and its characters are triangles, circles, and other geometric figures." -- Galileo Galilei, Il Saggiatore, 1623
GEOMETRIC DAYS is an exhibition of new paintings by eight artists whose deployment of geometry exposes organizational structures from microscopic, political, and spiritual dimensions. Geometry, abstraction and painting are ingrained in our interpretation of experience—geometry as measurement of space and time, abstraction as poetic expression of the visual, and painting as the manifestation of a will to communicate.
These artists propose that geometry isn’t necessarily abstract, but that it is actually a form of reality. Their hand-crafted, anarchic/controlled forms undercut geometric abstraction’s historical ties to utopian idealism. The works call upon mathematics as a spiritual force (and geometry as its visual realization) that codes the experiences of nature, built environments, social constructs, and the digital world. Artist/Curator Papo Colo states: "For these artists geometry is more than a combination of lines. The nature of images is mathematical. Geometry divides borders, topography and climate. This labyrinth of numbers and forms construct the world in a rational way but also transform surfaces/images into spiritual substances that take you to a space of esoteric solutions."
Curated by Jeanette Ingberman and Papo Colo with Associate Curator Herb Tam.
ARTISTS
Rico Gatson, Peter Hildebrand, Charles Koegel, Geoffrey Owen Miller, Driss Ouadahi, Paul Pagk, Nathlie Provosty, Dannielle Tegeder
STATEMENT
THE MEASURE OF EARTH IS THE MATHEMATICS THAT WE LIVE
Geometry divides borders, topography and climate. This labyrinth of numbers
and forms, constructs the world in a rational way but also transforms images into spiritual substances that take you to a map of esoteric solutions.
Pythagoras described geometry as visual music.
The paintings in this exhibition are compositions that approach harmony.
Scores of music never seen, drawn and then painted with craft and concept.
Everyone with their language in a story without an end,
but with many beginnings.
Our days are hours. Speed is the fusion with time.
Our globe goes around the sun, another ball.
How many steps to any goal? How many circles around our axis?
Numbers and measures are the principal subject and the object of our thoughts.
Our coherent life is an arrangement of mathematical shapes.
Mechanical and natural geometry open out living and spiritual spaces.
Our calculation is total, mathematic in every step.
All that we invent brings a way to measure itself.
Any move conjures shapes, plans have their designs, characters that expand
and contract in flux, color, write the lines, do the painting.
We are proportions, accumulated gestures, and the sum of fragments.
Our balance is distributed gravity walking the tight rope in our subdivided brain that controls our body, made of straight and curved lines.
The signs in your face tell a story as they crisscross marking the route taken.
Alchemy is in the angles.
Every move is calculated. Any time is consumed.
Chance has improvisation under control.
Lines attach forms, volume fills space creating infinite ways of reasoning.
Geometry is a catalyst in our lives.
As when the rectangle of the bed is waiting for your sleep inside the three dimensional
square of a room, geometry sleeps with you inside. The result is in your dreams,
our thoughts are circular—we live in a sphere.
For artists geometry is more than a combination of lines.
It is a system to measure time - space - purpose of mental-writing, drawing and painting in their space of logic. Surfaces emerge in codes, systems, and diagrams informed by the rational and irrational. Resident in the space of logic, the artist finds combinations of angles that the image travels from line to line to forms.
Revealing messages from the natural to the supernatural with an enlightened vision of
order and disorder. Illogical geometry is a religious experience;
logical geometry constructs structures and both rule our life.
The shape of the day is in the space of time and
TIMES ARE ALWAYS TURBULENT... WE JUST MEASURE THE STORM.
Papo Colo
New York, NY 2011
Press contact:
Aimee Chan-Lindquist
PR / Marketing Manager T. 212 9667745 F. 212 9252928 aimee@exitart.org
Opening Friday, February 25, 2011 / 7-9pm
Exit Art
475 Tenth Ave New York, NY 10018
Gallery Hours:
Tuesday – Thursday 10:00am – 6:00pm
Friday 10:00am – 8:00pm
Saturday 12:00pm – 6:00pm