With Finalists Robert Chamberlin, Krista Clark, Sonya Yong James, and Christina Price Washington

April 11 - May 16

Opening Reception: Thursday, April 11, 6-9pm

Artist Talk: Saturday, April 13, 3pm

The Swan Coach House Gallery and the Forward Arts Foundation are pleased to present less than more by Curtis Ames, recipient of the organization’s 2018-19 Emerging Artist Award.

less than more is the fruit of Ames’ scholarly and creative research on concepts related to effort, achievement, and expectation. Working across disciplines, Ames enacts what he calls “uncomplicated and seemingly flippant maneuvers” to imbue seemingly banal materials and objects with affect. For instance, plastic grocery bags repeatedly proclaiming “THANK YOU” hang from brushed brass rods like sterile specimens, while a found low-resolution video continuously loops an idyllic image of a rainbow. The pieces in the exhibition, which range from works on canvas to sculpture, are unified by cool minimalism and cerebral poetics. less than more deliberately generates uncertainty by presenting works that are left purposely unresolved, prompting viewers to grapple with the complicated response of desiring more while accepting what is in front them.

The 2018-19 Emerging Artist Award Finalists–Robert Chamberlin, Krista Clark, Sonya Yong James, and Christina Price Washington–will also have work displayed in the front gallery space during the exhibition.

Image: The Best Things in Life Are, 2017, found video, 00:01:13.

Curated by Michelle Laxalt, Jiha Moon, and Carson Keith

May 30 - August 8, 2019

Opening Reception: Thursday, May 30, 6-9pm

Participating artists: Kathy Abernathy Meliopoulos, Bryan Alexander, Liz Anderson, Rachel Ballard, Maddy Barreto, Dawn Black, Maria Bruckman, Brutal Studio, Jeff Campana, Kelly Cano, Kaitlyn Chipps, Namwon Choi, Jenn Cole, Manty Dey, Gabrielle Duggan, Hannah Ehrlich, Enchanted Life Goods (Erin Jane Nelson and Jason Benson), Sally Eppstein, Susan Fields, Suzanna Fields, Jessie Giles, Juana Gnecco, Wesley Harvey, Chad Hayward, Kathryn Hunter, Matthew Jacoby, James Jernigan, Wes Jones, Ariel Kellog, Alex C. Kerr, Chakura Kineard, Christina Kosinski, Michelle Laxalt, Yehrim Lee, Austin Lindsey, Jon Lumpkin, Ana Meza and Maria Ojeda, Matt Mitros, Jiha Moon, Katie Murphy, Jason Murphy, Kate Pak, Yesha Panchal, Carley Rickles, John Roberts, Liza Romanovski, Lora Rust, Masa Sasaki, Charlotte Smith, Rebekah Strickland, Karen Tauches, Zipporah Camille Thompson, Tori Tinsley, Gregor Turk, Ife Williams, Barb Williams, Elise Williams, Andy Moon Wilson, Stella Wissner

Image: Kaitlyn Chipps, carved platter, ceramic and glaze.