Ripped & Torn

"Art is everywhere. We walk down the streets, we don’t really notice that just off to the side, there are remarkable compositions, constructs, patterns, palettes, all brought together within frames that define them. Some are plain to see, others are tiny fragments that are only noticed when allowing them to present themselves.

I first started seeing abstractions in the chaotic cities around us when I moved to New York City in 1981. The plentiful graffiti was the initial draw, and the colours and swirls felt as though, framed just so, they would become abstracts unto themselves. That became my inspiration amongst the torn posters of the East Village and further beyond—to compose “photo paintings” that one might see hanging in a gallery. And so, here we are.

Since that time, I’ve collected hundreds of found abstracts in each place I’ve lived or visited, searching for hidden meanings in the juxtaposition of overlaid posters that reveal only fragments of each other. This has extended to seeing the beauty in decay, the random and inadvertent sculptures and abstractions of abandonment, demolition and neglect. In these instances, photography can convey emotion and meaning than a painted representation—the fact that it is real becomes its own evocation."

more info coming soon