JAY GASKILL
Variation in Production
January 24 to March 1, 2020
Ampersand is pleased to present Variation in Production, a solo exhibition of new paintings by Portland artist Jay Gaskill. The title refers to a “VIP mix” in house music, a signifier given to remixes of songs made by the original artist. The reference is intended not as a specific framework for what is found directly within the paintings, but rather the creative headspace from which they emerged. Recognizing a moment of creative change, Gaskill turned to an old love for a source of new inspiration: house music. “I let its energy and principles guide me to a new body of work,” he notes, “and, more importantly, to a new approach to art making. The idea of an artist remixing their own work was fascinating to me, and the worlds of meaning contained within the phrase “Variation in Production” became the touchstone for how I thought about revitalizing my painting.” The viewing experience of these new paintings moves between the sharp edges that define prominent shapes and the more visceral marks that exist within their borders. This population of secondary nuances seems hidden at first, almost static, but they expand and transform the longer one engages—the deeper one looks—becoming the focal point of the painting. Colors that might initially feel like a surface subdued by early dawn can shift to a spectrum more vibrant, like a flower petal suddenly illuminated by morning sun. As with Gaskill’s previous work, these new paintings are intentionally non-referential, open to any evocations the viewer brings to them. The perspective is never defined. Are you moving above a surface, looking down? Walking toward some variegated space, about to enter? Standing close by, watching an undefined form move toward greater heights?
Jay Gaskill lives and works in Portland, Oregon. He received his arts education in New York City, earning an MFA from Hunter College and a BFA from the School of Visual Arts. His work has been exhibited on both coasts and featured in publications such as Art Maze Magazine and Maake. In addition to painting, a corollary creative practice comes in the form of two different social media projects: Air In Space and The Drawing Exchange. He founded Air In Space in 2019 with his wife, Erin B. Gaskill (who serves as Creative Director). The project functions like a record label, but for painting, and presents exhibitions exclusively on Instagram. To learn more you can follow @airinspace.art. Experimenting with social media, Gaskill also founded The Drawing Exchange in 2017 as a way to connect artists through the activity of building their art collections. This project is a mediated exchange of 2D works between participating artists and takes place several times a year on a private Instagram account. To date, The Exchange has worked with over 120 artists in the United States, Canada and the UK. To view a public archive of The Drawing Exchange we recommend following @thedrawingexchangearchive on Instagram. Gaskill previously exhibited with Ampersand Gallery in 2019 in the group show, Em Dash. This is his first solo exhibition with the gallery.
Pendeltone, 2020
Acrylic on raw canvas
32 x 30 inches
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Pendletone (VIP mix), 2020
Acrylic on yupo
11 x 14 inches
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Pareidoliac, 2020
Acrylic on raw canvas
26 x 27 inches
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Post Apocalyptic Wallpaper, 2020
Acrylic on raw canvas
52 x 46 inches
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Six, 2020
Acrylic on raw canvas
56 x 46 inches
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© 2020 Jay Gaskill and Ampersand. All Rights Reserved.