Andrew Shenker : born 1968, Baltimore, Maryland

Through a course of studies in philosophy, my writing style moved away from the essay form to something more literary and poetic, culminating in a practice of drawing (and filming) that attempts to remain at the threshold of sleeping, waking and dreams – keeping to a skin-depth vulnerability of touch and endless sifting, which cannot help but to disturb a neutral, distant character of observation.

Rather, a kind of messiness and fragmentation cannot be avoided from the outset, and indeed remains throughout, despite the look of cohesion achieved when a stopping point is reached.

The element of surprise and the patience of waiting are crucial to this kind of basic effort, and, more than anything, perhaps, is the keeping of touch, in the touching, which tends towards a lack of control.

There is something necessarily allusive at the heart of this work, like a puzzle being pieced together in the absence of an image that would otherwise precede, constrain and guide us towards a knowable completion from the start.

The interpretations conjured thereby are not unlike parentheses, or cupped hands, trying to contain a thought which overflows them.

Selected Exhibitions

2013-2014, Passages: Falling Together, a public sculpture, in collaboration with Michael Benevento, opening onto both Farm Day and the following exhibition, Clermont Forum II: Interpreting Clermont’s History Through Art, curated by Rotating History Project (Teddy Johnson and Heather Rounds), Virginia, at Clermont Farm.

2013, Sketchbook, an exhibition, curated by Rene Trevino (presenting sketchbooks from 33 artists, to which I contributed four such books); Baltimore, at School 33.

2012, Local Time: A Problem of Memory, a short experimental documentary opening onto the history of the garment trades, in Baltimore; created for Down Through the Needle’s Eye, an exhibition, curated by Rotating History Project; Baltimore, at the EMP. 

2010, A Blur For The Sake Of Clarity, a solo exhibition, including many collaborations (granted as a result of being one of Lotta Art “best in show” winners), co-curated with Rene Trevino; Baltimore, at School 33.

2010, Hope Against Hope, an exhibition, co-curated with Michael Benevento; Baltimore, at the Phoenix Shot Tower.

2010, Infinite Love, a short film, in collaboration with Dustin Wong, released by Thrill Jockey, Chicago, as part of Dustin’s double album project.