Avery Preesman
Thursday, March 30 - Sunday, June 11, 2006  
University Gallery
This exhibition at the University Gallery marks his premiere exhibition in the U.S. He has had numerous solo and group exhibitions in Europe, including a major solo exhibition at the prestigious Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam in 2001. Many of his canvases display a restrained use of color which give specific direction to the solid-looking paintings. The various layers often seem to collide with and grate on each other, setting the figure/ground relationship awry and creating a kind of three-dimensionality. They bear a certain similarity to the wall-sculptures: constructions of wood or metal, wrapped in foam-filler and coated with plaster or a granular layer of chalk-grey sand-cement, sometimes with applications of greasepaint. These give the pieces a heavy, rocklike character, like basalt. His paintings possess the same quality. The term 'decomposed' painting has been used in connection with Preesman's work. Avery Preesman’s exhibition is part of the Museums10 Valley-wide Festival "GO DUTCH!" in Spring 2006 featuring art from the Netherlands. The artist will be present at the opening and will conduct public talks, seminars and critique sessions with UMass students.

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MEDIA GALLERY