|
Indepth Arts News:
"Bill Gross: Monochrome"
2004-06-11 until 2004-07-10
Aron Packer Gallery
Chicago, IL,
USA United States of America
Continually inspired by the immediate surroundings of his urban
neighborhood, Bill Gross creates work that both records and reconsiders his
environment. Gross’ compositions depict fragments of signs, brick walls,
and architectural details primarily located on the West Side of Chicago. In
this recent series, Gross has reassessed this familiar subject by utilizing
a monochromatic, gray palette. Removing color from the work, he has
diminished the nostalgic effect of the images. The paintings are more flat
than Gross’s previous work—locations are less recognizable and the images
appear at times almost animated.
These smart, playful works derive from Gross’s preoccupation with the
coexistence of abstract and representational art. While his compositions
have identifiable elements, such as text from a meat packing company’s sign,
the influence of mid-century modernists such as Ellsworth Kelly is apparent.
Some of the paintings are presented on multiple panels—a technique that
further fragments yet oddly completes the piece. This is just one of several
ways Gross deftly creates a sense of displacement for the viewer. Merging
vernacular street imagery with modernist abstract art, Gross allows us to
find new meaning in the familiar.
Related Links:
| | 
|
