Shape Play
David Aylsworth, Joe Ballweg, Rachel Beach, Nathan Green, Mary Henderson, Todd Kelly, Ken Kewley, Sangram Majumdar, Matthew Mann, Alex Paik, and Celia Reisman
Curated by Mark Brosseau
February 6 - March 1, 2015
Opening Reception: Friday, February 6, 6 to 10 P.M.

[Images]

PHILADELPHIA, PA-
Tiger Strikes Asteroid is excited to welcome a distinguished group of eleven artists from across the United States for their February exhibition, “Shape Play.” This show brings together a diverse group of work - abstract painting, sculpture, works on paper, and representational painting - that explores the endless possibilities of something as simple as putting two shapes next to one another. Despite the differences in style and media, each of the artists in this show goes through this process of juxtaposition with some element of joy and lyricism.

“Shape Play” will create dialog between works that may not normally be seen together. The tightly composed and realist images of Mary Henderson share a specificity of shape with Joe Ballweg’s more gestural abstractions and Rachel Beach’s carefully considered wood sculptures. Ken Kewley’s representational collages and Alex Paik’s colorful paper constructions both use simple geometric forms to create an image. David Aylsworth’s layered abstractions share an elegant simplicity with Matthew Mann’s bizarre narrative paintings. Celia Reisman and Todd Kelly both layer distinct shapes against busier areas of pattern: Reisman in her suburban landscapes and Kelly in his fanciful abstractions. Sangram Majumdar and Nathan Green share a tactile sensibility in their paintings and mixed-media works, respectively. The shapes feel almost carved out of their chosen mediums.

All of the participating artists have exhibited extensively throughout the world. Mary Henderson lives in Philadelphia and teaches at St. Joseph’s University. Celia Reisman recently relocated to San Diego, CA after living in Merion, PA for many years. Her work was the subject of a retrospective at Doylestown’s James A. Michener Art Museum in 2000. Ken Kewley lives in Easton, PA and travels extensively to teach his highly sought-after collage workshops. Alex Paik lives in Brooklyn, NY. He is Director of Tiger Strikes Asteroid: New York. Rachel Beach is a native of Canada now living in New York. She has received numerous awards, including a Marie Walsh Sharpe Foundation Residency, a Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant, and a residency at Yaddo. Sangram Majumdar lives in New York and teaches at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore. Todd Kelly lives in Brooklyn, NY. He spent three years in London and received a full fellowship to the Vermont Studio Center in 2005. Joe Ballweg resides in Queens, NY. He previously appeared in “Places, Everyone” at Gross McCleaf Gallery which was also curated by Mark Brosseau. Matthew Mann is a resident of Washington, DC and has received multiple grants from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. David Aylsworth lives in Houston. His paintings are included in numerous Texas museum collections. Nathan Green lives in Dallas and has actively been traveling the country to create monumental site-specific wall paintings.

Mark Brosseau is a painter and Co-Director of Tiger Strikes Asteroid. This is the first exhibition he has curated at Tiger, after curating many critically-reviewed exhibitions at Gross McCleaf Gallery. Brosseau has had solo shows of his own work in Philadelphia, Hartford, Vermont, and Iceland. He received his MFA from the University of Pennsylvania and is a former Fulbright Fellow to Iceland.

David Aylsworth appears courtesy of Inman Gallery, Houston, TX. Rachel Beach appears courtesy of Blackston, New York, NY. Nathan Green appears courtesy of Barry Whistler Gallery, Dallas, TX. Mary Henderson appears courtesy of Lyons Wier Gallery, New York, NY. Todd Kelly appears courtesy of Asya Geisberg Gallery, New York, NY. Sangram Majumdar appears courtesy of Steven Harvey Fine Art Projects, New York, NY. Matthew Mann appears courtesy of Project 4, Washington, DC. Alex Pail appears courtesy of Gallery Joe, Philadelphia, PA. Celia Reisman appears courtesy of Gross McCleaf Gallery, Philadelphia, PA