|
Indepth Arts News:
"Chad Marshall: Morning in America"
2006-06-08 until 2006-07-08
Priska C. Juschka Fine Art
New York, NY,
USA United States of America
Priska C. Juschka Fine Art presents Morning in America, Chad Marshall's first solo exhibition in New York City. In his paintings and drawings, Marshall conjures a medley of contemporary and historical symbols, ideas, and cultural references. By way of this imagery he constructs visual fables and allegories, which impart a biting critique on present-day society. Marshall's work presents complex relationships between several figures or objects that exemplify the vibrant dynamics of exploitation inherent in our daily life.
Inspired by personal experiences and global events, he employs the iconography of our times by layering multiple emblems and ideas within the structure of classical and Renaissance compositions. Using these varying cultural references, Marshall exposes our societys tendency for self-exploitation. Thus, by using concepts of gender, race, and class, we reduce ourselves to romantic stereotypes and employ them to our best advantage.
In his depictions, Marshall paints a comical, yet disturbing reality. Devoid of intellect and soul, his grotesque figures merely mimic human behavior. Fleshy, eyeless, desensitized, and placed within a severe and emptied background - their deeds are accentuated.
By portraying these derisive relationships, Marshall displays the absurdity and tensions intrinsic to the compromises one makes made to survive in todays culture. Thus, he confronts the viewer with a fundamental and introspective dilemma regarding perceptions of our habits and need for power - in current society, who do we deem the exploiter and who the exploited?
Marshall was born and raised in Washington DC, and now lives and works in New York City. He holds a BA from Morehouse College, Atlanta, GA and an MA from New York University. He has participated in numerous group exhibitions, and is the recipient of several grants and residency program awards, including the Chashama AREA award in New York.
Related Links:
| | 
|
