Wasserman Projects is pleased to present our Summer 2022 Exhibition House & Garden, featuring work Chicago-based painter, Ann Toebbe and Queens-based sculptor, Chris Bogia. The friendship between Toebbe and Bogia runs deep, from working alongside each other at neighboring galleries to receiving their MFA at Yale University in 2004. The connection between the artists bleeds into their work with a shared interest in the formal and psychological portrayal of domestic spaces. This two-person exhibition includes a survey of work spanning nearly 10 years of the artists’ practice, including preliminary drawings in pencil and watercolor, intricate paintings with paper collage, and small to large-scaled constructions with seductive surfaces.
Greeted by a lovely aroma, the lit scented candle expands the sensory experience beyond visual alone. Shapes are neatly balanced in a contained space with segments of color thoughtfully deployed. Varied materials contribute texture and dimension to effortless serenity.
Toebbe grants access into her process through preliminary drawings working out room designs toward their final execution. The perspective alternates between a view from above to completely flat fields making the eye work navigating the elements.
In the finished piece Toebbe continues to shift between viewpoints. One minute the viewer is looking straight at the front of the house, then suddenly floating over a sectional in the living room watching a flat screen TV that’s literally flat. She takes the viewer outdoors at the top of the painting where perfectly circular smoke billows from chimneys in an industrial setting. The imagery plays more like a dollhouse than a serious architectural rendering.
Potted house plants sitting on a narrow table receive tender care from fastidious pink fingers. Geometric representation in a mildly exaggerated palette is complemented with textured surfaces. 70s Colorforms on a grand scale command in this open gallery space.
Bogia’s 2D renderings echo his sculpture. Clean, organized geometric shapes with deliberate color selections create flat yet tranquil pictures.
Ann Toebbe and Chris Bogia effectively communicate a home that is calm and inviting. Home is a sanctuary where we are free to be fully who we are. Where we pursue our quiet routines. One of life’s great pleasures is coming home after a hard day or a long trip, closing that door behind and settling into the sofa. Ahhhh.
On view through August 20th at Wasserman Projects 3434 Russell Street, Detroit
*images are mine
direct quote from gallery materials
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