FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 19, 2004
TIM McFARLANE – NEW PAINTINGS
Philadelphia, PA - The Bridgette Mayer Gallery is pleased to present a solo exhibition of paintings by Philadelphia artist Tim McFarlane. “Inverted Dislocation” will run from February 4 - March 27, 2004 with an opening reception Friday, February 6th from 6:00-8:30 p.m. The artist will give a tour of the show on Saturday, February 7th from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. This exhibit will be the most extensive showing of McFarlane’s work to date featuring acrylic and graphite on canvas paintings and two mixed media drawings.
Tim McFarlane is a painter that has always been inspired by his surroundings. Born and raised in Philadelphia, McFarlane has spent a lot of time walking around the city and early paintings captured abstractions of sidewalks, grates and intersecting lines. In later works, McFarlane started to expand his vision upward exploring the city landscape on a broader scale. Architecture, buildings and the spaces between became the focal points of these later works.
McFarlane’s newest body of paintings are minimalist abstractions containing systemic grids and striped patterning. Layers of acrylic paint are built up to create surface texture and subtle color shifts and variations. Striped and blocked areas are drawn with graphite adding an additional layer to the work and the element of drawing.
Paintings appear to be abstractions of city buildings or masses intersecting with the sky. In other works such as “Inverted Dislocation,” striped blocks are separated by solid color field backgrounds. The blocks have a puzzle-like feeling and the viewer is compelled to visually put them together subsequently realizing that the shapes don’t fit. McFarlane plays with the element of disconnectedness in these works and comments on feelings of searching, being in-limbo and dislocation in life in general.
He states, “I’m drawn to the beauty of patterns created by the linear quality of much of the man-made world. I’m also interested in what happens to our perception of a space when the order created by intersecting lines and colors is subverted, or altered whether intentionally or not.
While the initial idea for a painting may spring from my recollection of places familiar to me, I often make no attempt to represent a specific environment. In the course of painting, an internal order begins to emerge, creating unique layers of meaning, often far removed from the original inspiration.”
Tim McFarlane received his B.A. from the Tyler School of Art in 1994 and studied at the Barnes Foundation as well. He has been featured in several group exhibits at the Bridgette Mayer Gallery. In 2001 McFarlane had a solo exhibit at the Fleisher Art Memorial during their Challenge series and was also a second round finalist for a Pew Fellowship.
“Inverted Dislocation” will run through March 27, 2004. The artist will be present at the opening reception Friday, February 6th from 6:00-8:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Gallery hours are Wednesday-Saturday 11:00 - 5:30 p.m., other days by appointment. For additional information please contact Bridgette Mayer, 215.413.8893 Fax 215.413.2283
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