Steven Baris
Artist Statement
Each work is a separate response to a unique and largely overlooked type of landscape that is emerging along America’s metropolitan fringes. These pockets of former fields and forests are rapidly transforming into constellations of massive horizontal buildings known as “distribution” or “fulfillment” centers.” This is a thoroughly new kind of liminal space, re-tooled solely to facilitate the rapid, frictionless flow of commodities to and from practically anywhere—high performing, expertly engineered, leveled, paved and interconnected by ever expanding networks of highways and communication systems: the smoothest and fastest space possible.
I have always been sensitive to my spatial surround. I grew up on various American Indian reservations in the West (my father worked for the U.S. Bureau of India Affairs) where I lived in relatively unpopulated environments from lush forests to the Great Plains. Moving to the Northeast to attend graduate school, my spatial antennae afforded me a unique perspective on radically different kinds of spaces. I was especially fascinated by the rapidly developing tracts of land that lay beyond the urban centers and their contiguous suburbs—what is often referred to as exurbia. I was immediately taken by the spatial disorientation I felt driving the expressways through these areas. So much space and so few points of access. So much mobility yet so constricted and channeled. It was here that I began to observe these remarkable buildings and their thorough transformation of the surrounding countryside.
The imposing structures that define these spaces—the distribution centers—present to me a perfect geometric vocabulary for visualizing the mostly invisible economic forces that are transforming these regions. As with so much art from the most ancient to the contemporary, my pieces attempt to realize a provisional join between the visible and the invisible, the concrete and the conceptual. Of course space—my leading protagonist—is, technically speaking, invisible as are the abstract economic forces determining our access and experience of contemporary space and place.
More recently, I have focused more on how I represent space and how almost everything I do is implicated in some act of framing. To state the obvious, my paintings, drawings and videos are implicitly framed—that is, each is isolated from the surrounding space by their (mostly) rectilinear edges. And within these frames I have nested yet more frames, often geometrically modulated to suggest spatial projection.
Yet actual space is never experienced freeze-framed, but rather it is apprehended through physical movement. It is in time that our bodies move through space and in time that the structure of the world is progressively disclosed.
Such is the paradox I take on: the impossibility of representing space and movement in formats thoroughly circumscribed by static frames. So in spite of these formal constraints, I aspire to present frames in flight, frames perpetually incomplete and compositionally unresolved. Ultimately these works are not only a meditation on my experience of space but on the impossibility of capturing time.
Artist Bio
Steven Baris was born in Aberdeen Washington and grew up on various American Indian reservations in Northern California, Montana, and Washington State. He received a B.A. from The Evergreen State College in Olympia Washington and a MFA from the Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia. He lives and teaches art in the Philadelphia area. He has exhibited widely throughout North America and Europe; his work is represented in Denver by Space Gallery, in New York by ODETTA Gallery, and in Philadelphia by the Pentimenti Gallery.
Selected Exhibitions
EDUCATION
1985 Tyler School of Art, Philadelphia, PA, MFA
1978 The Evergreen State College, Olympia, WA, BA
1975 Instituto Allende, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2018 Solo (as of yet untitled) | Pentimenti Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2017 Mobility of Frames | DM Contemporary NYC, New York, NY
2017 The Abstracted Landscape | Pentimenti Gallery at Natuzzi Italia, Philadelphia, PA
2016 Modern Structure| Space Gallery Gallery, Denver, CO
2015 The Smoothest of All Possible Space | Pentimenti Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2014 Geometries of Flow | DM Contemporary NYC, New York, NY
2013 Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts, Wilmington, DE
2012 Stations of the Cube | Pentimenti Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2010 Solo Series | Abington Art Center, Abington, PA
2008 Urban Compression | Pentimenti Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2006 The Correct Distance | Pentimenti Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2004 Recent Works | Schmidt/Dean Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2003 Jeffrey Coploff Fine Arts, New York, NY
2003 364 Hayes Street Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2002 Jeffrey Coploff Fine Arts, New York, NY
2001 Schmidt/Dean Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2000 Butters Gallery, Portland, OR
1998 Schmidt/Dean Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
1997 University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
1996 Schmidt/Dean Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
1992 Paul Cava Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
1990 Paul Cava Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
1988 Paul Cava Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
1986 Grande Masse des Beaux-Arts, Paris, France
1985 Gallerie Taub, Philadelphia, PA
1984 Stonepress Gallery, Seattle, WA
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2018 Grounds for Optimism | Tremenheere Sculptural Gardens, Penzance, UK
2018 Absolute | Boecker Contemporary, Heidelberg, Germany
2017 Structural Integrity | Space Gallery, Denver, CO
2017 The Enduring Reasons Why | Pentimenti Gallery, Philadelphia, P
2017 Points of Departure: Meditation on Mapping | Mercer Gallery, Monroe Community College, Rochester, NY
2017 Maniac Episode 5 | Ely Center of Contemporary Art, New Haven, CT
2017 Three Person Exhibition | Mount Airy Contemporary, Philadelphia, PA
2017 Doppler | Transmitter, Brooklyn, NY
2017 Art on Paper (fair) | Pentimenti Gallery, New York, NY
2016 Summer Show| DM Contemporary NYC, New York, NY
2016 Summer Flash | Pentimenti Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2016 Drift | Boecker Contemporary, Heidelberg, Germany
2015 Abstract Strategies | Poiesis Spec, Berlin, Germany
2015 Abstract Strategies | Martina Kaiser Cologne Contemporary, Cologne, Germany
2015 Gong Big | Central Booking, New York, NY
2015 Summer Currents | Pentimenti Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2014 Then and Now| DM Contemporary NYC, New York, NY
2014 Three Person Exhibition | Spatial Intelligence | Odetta Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2014 Doppler Shift | Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, Summit, NY
2014 Group Exhibition | Galerie Schutte, Dusseldorf, Germany
2013 Maniac Episode 4 | TAS, Groningen, Netherlands
2013 International Biennial of Non Objective Art | Ciliax, France
2013 Repetitive Pattern Phobia | Atelierhof Kreuzberg, Berlin, Germany
2013 Three Person Exhibition | Suburbia Revisited | dm contemporary NYC, New York, NY
2013 On the Edge | Cheryl Hazan Contemporary Art, New York, NY
2012 20 in 2012 Vision | Pentimenti Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2012 Maniac Episode 3: Hamburg | Kunstlerhaus Dosenfabrik, Hamburg, Germany
2012 Doppler Stop, Traveling Exhibition | Amsterdam, Berlin, Zagreb
2012 The Summer Show | dm contemporary NYC, New York, NY
2012 Lush Geometry | dm contemporary NYC, New York, NY
2012 Elemental | Woodmere Art Museum, Philadelphia, PA
2011 Aqua Art Fair | Miami, FL, represented by Pentimenti Gallery
2011 Maniac: Manic Episode | Brickhouse Art Gallery, Sacramento, CA
2011 Countune International Internet Social Art Project | developed and curated by Gerd Jansen, Germany
2011 Tyler Alumni Series, Robert Storr, curator | Crane Arts Building, Ice Box Project Space, Philadelphia, PA
2010 William Penn Foundation, Philadelphia, PA
2010 Spectrum | Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts, Wilmington, DE
2009 Garish | Geoffrey Young Gallery, Great Barrington, MA
2008 Aqua Wynwood | Art Basel | Miami, FL, represented by Pentimenti Gallery
2007 Victory for Tyler: Painting 2007 | Crane Arts Building, Philadelphia, PA
2007 Three Person Exhibition | Rice/Polak Gallery, Provincetown, MA
2006 Stripes Checks Balances | Michael Gibson Gallery, London, ON
2006 Takeout | Pentimenti Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2006 Bridge Art Fair | Miami, FL, represented by Pentimenti Gallery
2006 ART212 Art Fair | New York, NY, represented by Pentimenti Gallery
2006 Order(ed) | Gallery Siano, Philadelphia, PA
2006 Contour: The Definitive Line | Schedlar/Minchin Fine Art, Birmingham, AL
2005 AAF Contemporary Art Fair | New York, NY, represented by Pentimenti Gallery and Jeffrey Coploff
2005 Criss Cross | Art Forum Ute Barth, Zurich, Switzerland
2004 Selections | Levy Gallery, Moore College of Art, Philadelphia, PA
2003 More | Mpercent Gallery, Cleveland, OH
2003 From That To This: Artists’ Inspirations, curated by Julie Courtney | Nexus, Philadelphia, PA
2002 Pure | Philadelphia Museum of Jewish Art, Philadelphia, PA
2002 Bold | Jeffrey Coploff Fine Arts, New York, NY
2000 Group Exhibition | BGH Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
2000 Three Person Exhibition | Margaret Thatcher Projects, New York, NY
1999 Selections | Jeffrey Coploff Fine Arts, New York, NY
1998 Small | Jeffrey Coploff Fine Arts, New York, NY
1998 Group Exhibition | Margaret Thatcher Projects, New York, NY
1997 Strategies in Abstraction | Philadelphia Art Alliance, Philadelphia, PA
1997 An Extended View: Landscapes by Philadelphia Artists | Moore College of Art, Philadelphia, PA
1996 2 Up | Philadelphia Art Alliance, Philadelphia, PA
1994 Drawing 94: Explorations | Kutztown University, Kutztown, PA
1994 Group Exhibition | Paul Cava Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
1989 Currents in Abstraction | Long Island University, New York, NY
1998 Perspectives From Pennsylvania | Carnegie Mellon University Art Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA
1988 The Drawing Show: Artists Who Have Exhibited at The Drawing Center In New York | Massachusetts College of Art, Boston, MA
1986 Selections 33 | The Drawing Center, New York, NY
1984 Four Person Exhibition | Galleria Temple, Rome, Italy
SELECTED COLLECTIONS
Canon USA Inc., New York, NY
Capitol One, Wilmington, DE
Coventry First Insurance Company, Fort Washington, PA
The Glenmede Trust Company, Philadelphia, PA
Hay Group, Philadelphia, PA
Polsinelle Shughart Pc., Wilmington, DE
Iroko Pharmaceuticals, LLC, Philadelphia, PA
Liberty Properties, Philadelphia, PA
Progressive Insurance Company, Cleveland, OH
Prudential Insurance Company, Newark, NJ
Rosenbluth Travel, Inc., Philadelphia, PA
Statoil, Houston, TX
Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Thomas Properties, Philadelphia, PA
Wilmington Trust, New York, NY
Work included in numerous private collections in North America, Europe and Australia
Awards
SELECTED GRANTS + AWARDS
2013 Pollock-Krasner Grant, Pollock-Krasner Foundation
2008 Bertha C. Arnold Smith Trustees Award
2006 Agnes + Sophie Dallas Irwin Memorial Fund, Travel Grant
1997 PEW Fellowships in the Arts, Finalist
1995 Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, Artist’s Fellowship
1983 Purchase Prize: Outstanding Merit, Colorprint USA, Texas Tech University
Publications
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
Michael K. Corbin, ArtBookGuy.com, (interview), http://artbookguy.com/steven-baris-geometric-projections_1132.html
Richard Benari, Backstory: Steven Baris, Tilted Arc, December 7, 2013
Edith Newhall, Galleries, Philadelphia Inquirer, October 25, 2013
Maniac: Manic Episode 2, Catalogue Essay by Thyrza Nichols Goodeve, Spring 2011
Victoria Donohoe, Wilmington Wonder, Part 1, Philadelphia Inquirer, July 23, 2010
Libby Rosof, The Art Blog, November 11, 2008
Anne R. Fabri, Broad Street Review, November, 22, 2008
Victoria Donohoe, Philadelphia Inquirer, November 21, 2008
Edith Newhall, On Galleries, Philadelphia Inquirer, May, 2006
Libby Rosof, The Art Blog, May 5, 2006
Home & Design, Editor’s Pick, Philadelphia Inquirer, May, 2006
R.B. Strauss, First Friday Focus, AroundPhilly.com, May 19, 2006
Libby Rosof, Order(ed), The Art Blog, May 5, 2006
Krystyna Warchol, Who’s On First (Friday), Key to Philadelphia, May 1-14, 2006
Roberta Fallon, Young at Art, Philadelphia Weekly, June 30, 2004
Roberta Fallon, Sketches, Philadelphia Weekly, April 21, 2004
Edward J. Sozanski, On Galleries, Philadelphia Inquirer, April 23, 2004
Celeste Starita, This Week in the Arts, Center City’s Weekly Press, May 5, 2004
Frank Smigiel, Catalogue Essay: Exhibition at Jeffrey Coploff Fine Art, New York, NY, 2003
Lily Faust, The New York Art World, February, 2002
Abstract Art Online, Gallery Views/Chelsea, January 26, 2002
Roberta Fallon, Sketches, Philadelphia Weekly, January 2, 2002
Edward J. Sozanski, On Galleries, Philadelphia Inquirer, June 21, 2002
Gerard Brown, You Have to Be There, Philadelphia Weekly, May 26, 1999
New American Paintings #2, Open Studio’s Press, Spring 1999
Robin Rice, The Sun’ll Cross 17th Street Tomorrow, Philadelphia City Paper, July 9-16, 1998
Edward J. Sozanski, On Galleries, Philadelphia Inquirer, January 2, 1998
Jeanne Nugent, Room for a View, Philadelphia Weekly, June 4, 1997
Robin Rice, Familiar Territory, Philadelphia City Paper, July 17, 1997
Ruth Latter, Language of Color Stretches from Rome to the Reservation,
The Daily Progress, Charlottesville, VA, March 20, 1997
Bill Scott, Review of Exhibitions, Art in America, September, 1996
Rita Rosen, Sketches: The Art World, The Jewish Exponent, Philadelphia, January 18, 1996
Edward J. Sozanski, On Galleries, Philadelphia Inquirer, February 9, 1996
Edward J. Sozanski, On Galleries, Philadelphia Inquirer, November 27, 1992
Edward J. Sozanski, On Galleries, Philadelphia Inquirer, January 14, 1988
Edward J. Sozanski, On Galleries, Philadelphia Inquirer, January 2, 1986
Colorprint USA, catalogue, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, 1983
