RYAN WALLACE

Second Skin was developed through Wallace’s ongoing interaction with and renegotiation of materials, the lineage of which can be traced back through his canon. Materials are salvaged from the remnants of prior works, repurposing what was once left behind. These offcuts become the compositional elements that form the works, and the history of Wallace's studio practice echoes through them, from their genesis to their final shape. Wallace was visually inspired by reflections cast from aluminum tapes embedded in earlier collages and sculptures; the composition of recent works spring directly from these natural abstractions observed by Wallace and documented as guides. While certain "eras" within an artist's oeuvre can be denoted by pivots or movements in style, subject matter, or medium, Wallace's is continuous and constantly in conversation with previous iterations. In Second Skin, this is especially true, as many of the works are resurrections and refinements of earlier pieces.

Fiberglass sheeting, formerly relegated to the verso to serve as structural backing, is now brought to the fore, blurring the line between public- and private-facing. A matte medium is pulled through its fibers and adheres to the canvas, creating surfaces, colors, and translucencies that Wallace cannot deliberately predict, adding an element of chance to the compositions. The translucent dermis of fiberglass sheeting becomes, as the title suggests, a second skin, forming new planes for Wallace to cover and cut into.

The works are formally in concert, with line, shape, and geometric motifs repeated across Wallace’s extensive material list, which includes, but is not limited to, oil, enamel, acrylic, aluminum, copper, linen, canvas, and fiberglass, each introducing a textural presence to the surface. The variety of media provides Wallace with the ability to form unique junctions and seams where these disparate materials join with, or subsume one another. As his method progressed and developed, familiarity with these tools and techniques opened up to denser planes and more intricate inlays. Initially, Wallace resisted additive maneuvers, wanting the works to read as paintings and not as collages. This led him to create works that seem to be in direct contrast, some filled with complex forms and others with generous breathing room and unbroken expanses of canvas.

"Finding the balance of the materials was a new challenge that led to discoveries, and what felt like an intentional play between back and forth ... front and back was the driving force of this show."

- Ryan Wallace

RYAN WALLACE’s (b. 1977) mixed media paintings conjure an ethereal space between the material and intangible. Repurposing fragments from earlier and developing pieces, the artist seams, layers, excavates, and manipulates the surface of his work to incorporate a wealth of textures and techniques. By limiting his resources, Wallace has developed a rich process-based practice whereby each body of work leads to the next in terms of materials and composition. Wallace’s work has been exhibited at the Marjorie Barrick Museum, Las Vegas (2018); the University of the Arts, Philadelphia (2016); and BAM, Brooklyn (2011). Recent group exhibitions include Volery Gallery, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (2022); Bohemian’s Gallery, Natsume Books, Tokyo, Japan (2022); De Boer Gallery, Los Angeles, CA (2021); and The Bunker Artspace, West Palm Beach, FL (2019). His works can be found in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, NYC; Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco; Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego, Schwartz; and the Schwartz Collection at Harvard Business School, Cambridge, among others.

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RYAN WALLACE: Second Skin

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