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October Issue
2008
Flood Gallery in Asheville, NC, Features
Works by Phillip McGuire
The Flood Gallery, located in the River Arts District in Asheville, NC, will present the exhibit, Drawings + Constructions, featuring work by local artist Phillip McGuire, on view in the Pump Gallery from Oct. 4 - 30, 2008.
Spanning the sensibilities of both drawing
and sculpture, McGuire's work marries a minimalist aesthetic with
an affinity for illustration and a deep respect for craft.
McGuire's love of Japanese aesthetic traditions resonates in his
drawings. "The negative space in his work is powerful and
provocative, and the art itself is a process that offers a rebate
that is pleasing and gives the work a meditative feeling,"
says Flood Gallery Director, Jolene Mechanic.
Asymmetrical and slightly off-center compositions suggest the
snapshot (and hence a "moment"), rather than the formal
portrait with its attendant connotations of permanence. "The
expansive negative spaces are not 'empty'," McGuire says,
"rather, I believe they have a visual and emotional weight
that is almost what the entire work is about." McGuire's
work conveys a sense of the inner life of the subject, conjuring
an experience of intimacy and psychological presence for the viewer.
"It is these fleeting, haiku-like glimpses of another soul
that I find beautiful," McGuire says.
The work is done on hand built, large-scale, gessoed wood panels.
Each panel receives several coats of gesso for a velvety surface
before the drawings are done, and upon completion several coats
of matte varnish are applied to protect the image.
A long time resident of North Carolina, McGuire currently lives
in Asheville. Holding a Bachelor's degree in Art Marketing and
Production from Appalachian State University, he worked for several
years as an assistant to artist William Dunlap.
For further information check our NC Institutional Gallery
listings, call the gallery at 828/254-2166 or visit (www.philmechanicstudios.com).
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