Opening Reception: Saturday, February 26
7 - 9 pm
Baltimore-based artist SETH ADELSBERGER has taken a dramatic leap in his work since his 2009 solo exhibition “Semi-Final Frontiers” at Civilian. In that time he has pursued a curatorial path as co-director of Nudashank (a gallery in Baltimore run with his partner Alex Ebstein). Stepping back to see a bigger picture of how works thread into a greater whole, Adelsberger has departed from his signature vivid, sci-fi psychedelia based works to examine the mechanisms, literally and philosophically, behind painting.
Pursuing a more experimental process in the studio, Adelsberger released himself from constraints, particularly that of “creating worlds” on the canvas. Instead he focused on, according to the artist, “creating a body of work that references painting but in many cases doesn’t involve painting directly.” The new work deconstructs painting to its base elements - the structures, supports, formats, and materials.
The work in “Bordering on Painting” is also a study and consideration of the last century of abstract painting—Picasso, Pollock, Stella, Rauschenberg, Judd, Richard Tuttle—and an intuitive, consideration of their issues and materials. Stretcher bars, canvas, paint, glue, and broken frames are affixed bare and woven into sculptural combinations that hang on walls. In these pared-down, referential constructions, Adelsberger considers multiple forms and creates intriguing and sometimes disagreeable objects that invariably hold the viewer’s interest. One is forced to consider intent and influence; it is hard to not have an opinion. Further, the diversity of work presented in the exhibition suggests a range of possibilities for his future work.
A graduate of Towson University, Adelsberger has had solo exhibits at The Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts, Sara Nightingale Gallery in Watermill, NY, Flashpoint in Washington, DC, and CURRENT Space, Baltimore, MD. Recent group shows include Goodship Lollipop at CTRL Gallery in Houston, TX and End of Daze at Space 1026 in Philadelphia, PA. He was the recipient of an Individual Artist Award (Highest Honors) in
1019 7th Street NW / Washington, DC / 20001 / p: 202-607-3804 / f: 202-280-1086 / www.civilianartprojects.comPainting from the Maryland State Arts Council in 2008. His work has been published in New American Paintings in 2003, 2005, and 2008 (issues #45, 57, and 75 respectively). He has been a semi-finalist for the Sondheim Prize (twice), Trawick Prize, and Bethesda Painting Awards.
