Brennan displays a series of charismatic pictures that operate just outside the notion of painting's convention and expectations. Layering paint alongside everyday objects such as popsicle sticks, discarded fabrics, scraps from his studio floor and detritus from the workplace, the artist's works float between beauty and an awkward chaos. Making a seemingly strident introduction, these works on wood panel and canvas subvert this greeting with a subtle knowledge of their place in history, as well as on the wall. The pedestrian materials and variety of handling taken at first glance give way to reveal the earnest and playful sophistication driving the artist's choices and approaches. Operating between the bravado of Abstract Expressionism, juxtapositions of the Combine and formalism of contemporary abstractions, Brennan's paintings exude humility as well as confidence - a most beautiful aggregate.
Patrick Brennan was born in Syracuse, New York and now resides in New York City. He studied at Munson Williams Proctor Art Institute and received a BFA in Painting and Video Art from Alfred University in 1998. Exhibitions include: MOMA / PS1, Nicole Klagsbrun, Monya Rowe Gallery, Zieher Smith, Edward Thorpe Gallery, Artist Space and Clifton Benevento in New York. Brennan has been awarded residencies at Atlanta College of Art, Atlanta GA, Burren College of Art (Ireland), and The Experimental Television Center Owego, NY.
A special edition monograph, Mirrors for Eyes, with a discussion between Patrick Brennan and Amy SIllman, will accompany this exhibition.
