Bryan Ryley: RUMINATIONS

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Bryan Ryley, "NO PICNIC," 2019

acrylic and collage on canvas, 72" x 42"

OPENING: SATURDAY, MARCH 23, 2019 2 - 5 PM

Paul Kuhn Gallery is please to present “RUMINATIONS” an exhibition of new paintings by Canadian (B.C.) artist, Bryan Ryley.

Ruminations is a new series of paintings that continue the artist’s exploration of using discarded canvas tarpaulins. These tarps are cut into various shapes and collaged onto the painting surface.

Ryley is attracted to the “autonomous” character of the material. He sees a kind of beauty in these stained and discarded remnants in so far as they add a new and more profound visual language to the painted surface. The specific placement of the tarps is of vital importance. Where they are placed on the painting creates a dynamic figure/ground tension in the work, both visually and psychologically. Ryley sees these collaged shapes as constructing a kind of visual narrative creating different readings of the work that cannot be tied singular interpretation.

In the artist’s own words:

Ruminations is intended to push further and be more explicit in its figurative construct.Heads and shoulders are built out of remnants, atmospheres poured out of buckets of paint and moods are created through a persistent black, grey, white and ochre palette. Cartoons are married to cubist tropes, new to old language, comfortable yet discordant - an ongoing challenge in the balance between simplicity and complexity.

Artist in attendence