Augmentation. A solo exhibition of paintings and portraits by ChanSchatz (the collaborative artists Eric Chan and Heather Schatz).
Augmentation
Massimo Audiello is pleased to present Augmentation, a solo exhibition of
paintings and portraits by ChanSchatz (the collaborative artists Eric Chan
and Heather Schatz). The exhibition opens September 12th and will run
until October 18th. Opening reception is Friday September 12th, from
6:00-8:00 p.m.
ChanSchatz's paintings present the canvas as a context for change and
ceaseless reinvention. To create each painting, ChanSchatz invite guests
to select images, colors, and texts that set the starting point for each
work. The artists utilize the selections of each guest in separate and
joined panels, unifying them into an overall composition.
The artists blend traditional painting techniques with styles that reflect
the influences of photography and digital media. Brush strokes are placed
side by side with airbrushed color fields and photographic blurs. Detailed
patterns are interspersed with bold color cut-outs and nearly psychedelic
color blends. By fusing painting styles, ChanSchatz create paintings that
emphasize predominant characteristics of abstraction, and layers and
levels of detail made possible because of their highly integrated media
production process.
ChanSchatz's portraits represent many overlapping worlds - including the
New York worlds of art and culture, fashion and style. Each guest's
selections of ChanSchatz signature characters, colors, and texts are
integrated as source material to create complex and enchanting worlds. The
portraits focus on creating visual identities around the individual,
orchestrating the person's interaction, even immersion, into the final
image.
ChanSchatz begin each portrait with a high-resolution digital image taken
at a photographic sitting. They refine the image and build the pictorial
space using techniques similar to cinematic filmmaking. Scale, color, and
texture are transformed as the artists create an overall visual narrative
that results in the final large-scale photographs.
When viewed as a complete suite of elements comprised of individual guest
selections, Augmentation outlines a paradigmatic shift in the creation of
objects and the establishment of relationships as a result of the exchange
of information and customization vis-Ã -vis culture today.
ChanSchatz received their MFAs from Columbia University where they are
faculty members in the School of the Arts. ChanSchatz's work has been the
subject of recent solo exhibitions including Lemon Sky Gallery in Los
Angeles, the Contemporary Arts Forum in Santa Barbara, CA, and Grand Arts
in Kansas City, MO. ChanSchatz are currently preparing for solo
exhibitions at the Urban Institute of Contemporary Art in Grand Rapids,
MI, and Marella Contemporary Art in Milan. ChanSchatz live and work in New
York City.
Opening: Friday September 12, 6-8 p.m.
image: PTG.26 smomin>rmeier, 2003, ink and acrylic on canvas, six joined
panels, 90 x 135 inches
Massimo Audiello
526 West 26th Street, NO. 519
New York, NY 10001
TEL: 212.675.9082
FAX: 212.675.8680