FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:



Christopher Wool

Opening reception Saturday, November 6th, 6-8 pm
November 6th - December 23rd, 2004




Luhring Augustine is pleased to present an exhibition of new work by Christopher Wool that will open on November 6th. This show will consist of several new paintings and a group of small works on paper.

With a restricted palette, and using spray enamel as the medium, Christopher Wool expands the limitations of painting in this body of work. In previous series, Wool combined an array of painterly techniques, including spray paint, silkscreen, and poured and rolled paint. Wool mixed these techniques into combinations that conflated printing and painting. In this exhibition Wool uses silkscreen but for the most part returns to conventional painting, and continues to explore the ideas of painting and erasing, gesture and removal, depth and flatness. Using primarily black spray enamel, Wool achieves a massive range of motion and depth within each picture. By limiting the palette, Wool sets up a strict constraint on the range of the paint and further pushes the boundaries of what makes a painting formally successful. Through action and erasure Wool creates a unique mark that traces his gesture across the picture plane. He sprays across the canvas and then retraces the line with solvent, smudging, blending and erasing the strong line of the spray paint. Despite the medium which makes a clear reference to industrialism and graffiti, these paintings remain elegant and poetic.

Christopher Wool's paintings have been internationally exhibited and collected. He recently held the inaugural show at the renovated Camden Arts Center, London and his series of photographs, East Broadway Breakdown, were recently on view at PS 1 Contemporary Arts Center in Long Island City. In 2002-3 Wool had solo exhibitions at Le Consortium, Dijon and the Dundee Contemporary Arts Center, Dundee. He was included in the Lyon Bienniale in 2003 and in 2001 had a solo show at the Vienna Secession.

A limited edition artist book as well as a catalogue will accompany this exhibition.

For further information, please contact Claudia Altman-Siegel at (212) 206-9100 or look on our website www.luhringaugustine.com.