Spotlight Artist

Russell Shoemaker

Midwest
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Featured in New American Paintings

Artist Statement

I began this series immediately following a long trip through South Asia, influenced by the fragmented remains of so many once-prominent temples. For me, seeing stacks of precious remnants in those sites contributed to a growing dialogue in my work—the accumulation of bits of histories long after they have lost their modernity.

Sanding down failed paintings and building on their remaining surfaces, I take care to work in a way that preserves their history. Through painted constructions, I reflect both a ghost of memory and a sober nowness. I consider our memory a tentative lexicon— subject to outside influence, both true and untrue. This continues to inform the tendency of these works to be erratic, while uniform, fragmentary, and repetitious.

Artist's Additional works

Works shared by the artist outside of their featured New American Paintings selections

Featured artwork
Featured artwork

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