黑料不打烊

In Shade and Shape, Pat Brentano presents a collection of monochromatic works that explore the relationship between nature and abstraction. Using charcoal, watercolor, ink, graphite, and collage, Brentano creates unbridled forest scenes that invite viewers to see beyond the surface, revealing the chaotic, mysterious, and layered gestures of our natural environment. Her work challenges the traditional suburban landscape of clear-cutting and manicured spaces, offering instead a contemplative view of nature's inherent beauty and balance. Brentano states, 鈥淣ature is not neat. It is an ever-changing and sometimes tangled, dense presence.鈥� In this uncertain era of climate change, Brentano's art serves as a powerful visual voice for the preservation and appreciation of the natural world. 

Christopher Skura's ceramic sculptures in Shade and Shape include organic, plant-like forms as well as elements reminiscent of man-made machinery. His work explores the intersection of psychology, structural systems, and emergence theory, drawing parallels between the architecture of the human body and the effects of time on both the human form and the natural world. Skura鈥檚 daily practice of rapid sketching and intuitive drawing serve as catalysts for these sculptural forms. He elaborates, 鈥淭he goal is to work with a 鈥渂eginner鈥檚 mind鈥� and utilize the flow-state to achieve a direct expression鈥�. Improvisation is emphasized for phenomenological effect, and I try to capture the speed of living in Lower Manhattan.鈥�  

Shade and Shape, John Wittenberg's first exhibition with Carter Burden Gallery, presents his handmade paper works, which rippled and furrowed surfaces are delicately embedded with found stones. Complementing these are three abstract monotype prints in black and white, evocative of natural forms like sticks and rocks. Wittenberg's work is deeply rooted in his observation of the physical world. His eye is drawn to the interaction of light and shadow and the natural cycle of growth, decay, and renewal. He is inspired by the transformations of objects in varying light and at the meeting points of different surfaces鈥攁 theme that has influenced his entire career. Wittenberg's sculptures vary in scale, from intimate pieces to large works that interact with their environment. He prefers working with materials such as steel, stone, wood, and paper, allowing his ideas to evolve organically through the creative process. His hope is that viewers will come to appreciate the forms and abstractions of nature, its weight, and the play of light, ultimately seeing the world through a new perspective.