True Faith @ Greenberg Van Doren

Tracy Miller

Ben Matthews
Gina Magid

I made a special trip to see the show file artist, Paul Brainard put together at Greenberg Van Doren, a gallery that amazingly, I think I have never been in. The show put together a lot of stuff that didn't at first glance seem to have a lot in common and left a lot of space to make connections. The first common link was that almost all the work was visually stunning or interesting. Almost all the work fell into the general realm of painting and or drawing.

"In selecting artists for this show I chose work that encompasses visual ambiguity as the dominant aesthetic. The title ‘True Faith’ presupposes the viewer believes in the uncertainty of organic growth and the enigmatic openness this allows. I also wanted to concentrate on work that has a direct relationship to the touch of the hand. Throughout the process of painting and drawing many decisions are made that can lead the artist into new and unexpected territory. Much of the artwork allows a hybrid organic growth that complements disciplined thought and execution".

The gallery website seems to miss the full scope of the show which included Pittsburgh artist, Ben Matthews. Of course, Art Cal had this show as a pick !!

Pittsburgh Alumni: Twenty Artists from Beyond the Rivers Closing Tonight

Pittsburgh Alumni: Twenty Artists from Beyond the Rivers
September 14 - November 4, 2006

Digging Pitt Gallery

Opening Reception:
September 14, 2006
Closing Reception:
November 4, 2006: 6-9pm

Madeleine Hope Arthurs - NY
Paul Brainard - NY
Cheryl Casteen - MN
Daniel Gloyd - CA
Rodney Godek - OH
Lara Hoke - NY
Emilie Noelle Lambert - NY
Linn Meyers - D.C.
Bill Miller - MD
T.K. Mundok - CA
Cynthia Ocasia - PA
Rachel Popowcer - NM
Richard Purdy - NY
Jim Pustorino - NY
Jill Scipione - NY
Jason Seder - NJ
Jason Szalla - NY
Kate Temple - NY
James Towns - CA
Rodney Wallace - CO

Kate Temple, a Pittsburgh alumni will be having a solo at the same time on one side of my space.

Paul Brainard: Pittsburgh Alumni

In September I am having a show of 20 artists, who are from or spent significant time in Pittsburgh. (one of the artist's, Kate Temple is having a solo on one side ) I will be trying to put up profiles of some of these artists as I can. Here is the first.

Paul Brainard

Born in Pittsburgh Lives in Brooklyn

1993 University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA. BA Studio Art

1995 Carnegie Museum of Art Studio School, Pittsburgh, PA

1999 Pratt Institute Brooklyn, NY. MFA Painting

Group Exhibitons

2006 “He Said/She Said” Tastes Like Chicken Artspace April 28 – May 21

2004 "Fake Plastic Trees" Jeff Bailey Gallery , NY June o3 - July 30

2003 "ATTACK – The Kult 48 Klubhouse " Deitch Projects Brooklyn, NY - Curated by Scott Hug. November 21-January 2004.

2003 "Today’s Man" John Connelly Presents NY, NY. Curated by John Connelly. July 19 – September 13th

2003 "Today’s Man" Hiromi Yoshii Gallery Tokyo Japan. October - December

2003 "T-Shirt Show" Silverstein Gallery NY, NY. July 16 – August 15

2003 "Now Playing :K–48"@ D’Amelio Terras Gallery NY, NY. Curated by Scott Hug. July 1 – August 8 .

2002 "Echo" 31 Grand Gallery - Brooklyn NY September 14 - October 14

2002 "I'm with Nature" Brooklyn Front Gallery - Brooklyn, NY April 12 - May 12

1998 "MFA Candidate Group Exhibiton" Puck Building New York. May

1998 Max Fish 135 Ludlow St. New York

Awards

Graduate Assistantship - in the Drawing Resource Center, Pratt Institute 1996 –1998

Scholarship - Carnegie Museum of Art Studio School 1995 – 1996

Merit Award - for Exceptional Studio Art Performance, University of Pittsburgh 1993

From his Artist Statement--

"The images reflect my position in a media saturated consumerist society, combing elements of random advertising, personal photographs and catholic imagery. Icons from early puritan New England gravestones mingle with images of pornography and homogenized culture. Time is compressed; forms overlap and eradicate one another. Random figures exist in a semi-abstracted environment to which they cannot relate. Both abstraction and representation push and pull off of one another to develop a dynamic within the drawing that captures the void of substance in everyday life. The emotional despair in the drawings stem from a distinct lack of spirituality that is very representative of today’s society. The drawings evolve as I follow my intuition and by altering the image through elimination, embellishment or eradication. The process is one by which intuitive discoveries lead in new directions in the drawing, preserving a feeling of spontaneity in the final image. "

He shows us our hollow little plastic life and it's not very pretty well actually it kind of is and yet it's not.