Projects Gallery is pleased to present Frank Hyder’s solo exhibition Odyssey. On view from Friday, October 5 through Saturday, October 27, there will be an artist reception Thursday, October 11 from 5 to 8 p.m. The reception is free and open to the public.
Hyder’s Odyssey takes us on a journey through his use of the woodblock and gives a glimpse into his experimental three-dimensional forms. The work, as a whole, is strongly connected to the Taoist philosophy of man’s place in nature and the role of energy in nature’s composition. The rhythmic images of his painted wooden carvings present a poetic reference to Hyder’s time spent living in the jungles of South America and experiencing space without a horizon. His contemplative mark and overlapping figures reflect insight and energy while providing a sense of serenity. The spiritual essence of this work is revealed as we are pulled into the depths of the quiet. In Hyder’s woodcuts, what appears close is incised and what appears flat is lush and heavily layered. The carved lines are gilded, suggesting a divine presence as they twist and turn forcefully before us, creating an image both visual and visceral. As remarked by Edward Lucie-Smith in Hyder’s catalog from his recent New York solo exhibition, “Hyder is a master of . . . woodcut.”
Frank Hyder, Ritmo Negro 96" x 144", mixed media on carved wood
Known for his color and mixed media reconstructed images, this body of work is pared down to an elegant, minimal simplicity. Borrowing construction strategies from indigenous cultures, the artist assembles simple structures. Reminiscent of forest shelters, the sculptural pieces also connect to modern architectural forms such as those found in the works of Gego. Exhibiting these core architectural works together with the carved blocks creates a poetic balance between flat and round, finished and raw. Hyder steps into new terrain here neither as solely painter, printmaker or sculptor. Odyssey is truly a spiritual and intellectual quest that the artist has undertaken through his use of the block, the print and now the elemental form.
Frank Hyder, Odyssey Installation
Concurrent with Projects Gallery’s Odyssey, Hyder will be exhibiting across the U.S. with solo shows in Portland, OR and Atlanta, GA, as well as being featured in both the Toronto and Maracaibo international art fairs. Hyder has participated in over 80 solo exhibitions and 150 group shows throughout North, Central and South America. A Senior Fulbright Award in 2001 sent the artist to Venezuela for a year, where his experiences abroad inspired him to produce a prodigious body of work, which was displayed in Venezuela’s three major Contemporary Art Museums.
Projects Gallery is located at 629 N. 2nd St. in Philadelphia’s Northern Liberties section. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Thursday noon to 5 p.m. and Friday and Saturday noon to 7 p.m. A preview of the artist’s works may be viewed on the gallery’s website at www.projectsgallery.com. For more information, please contact Projects Gallery at 267-303-9652 or info@projectsgallery.com.
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