Announce a exhibition of 23 new paintings by Eric Dever, in Sara Nightingale's new gallery space reopened in May 2009. Painting itself is the subject of Eric Dever's current project, spanning two years and 94 paintings. In his investigation of titanium and zinc white oil paint on canvas, burlap, and linen, the exclusive use of white has more to do with a focus on paint properties and supports and is less about color. This is a progression from Dever's earlier color based work before exhibited by Sara Nightingale Gallery in 2005.
Each piece is constructing with one or two brushes or knives. Supports are exposed as the negative space between multiple strokes or through the paint itself. Dever was introduced to Robert Ryman's monochrome painting as an NYU graduate student of Marcia Hafif; both were powerful artists of the Radical Painting Group formed in the late 70's.
Whether applied in stacked or alternating strokes, concentric circles, or randomly placed marks with second tries and adjustments, qualities related with current 'Provisional Painting' (Raphael Rubenstein AiA May'09), these paintings are part of a continuum. They are active and nonchalant.
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