RUPERT DEESE
Rupert Deese, Pale/1, 2002, etching, 10 x 44 inches, edition of 25
Rupert Deese, Pale/2, 2002, etching, 10 x 44 inches, edition of 25
Rupert Deese, Pale/3, 2002, etching, 10 x 44 inches, edition of 25
Rupert Deese, Pale/4, 2002, etching, 10 x 44 inches, edition of 25
Rupert Deese Exhibition Nancy Hoffman Gallery April 26-May 27, 2003
	A new suite of etchings by Rupert Deese entitled Pale/1, Pale/2, Pale/3; Pale/4, will be shown for the first time at Nancy Hoffman Gallery from April 26 through May 27, 2003
In each of the horizontal prints, a narrow white line traverses an arc one meter in length, floating over a densely worked field of color. The arc varies from a subtle curve to a slightly exaggerated one. The palette of the suite ranges from blue to orange to bordeaux to earth brown; colors in the cadmium and cobalt families. While abstract, the images are based in perceived experience. Each Pale is a shallow section of an ellipse a swimmer would see as the ripple he creates in a still body of water. As the ripple moves away from him the arc becomes gradually flatter, returning the water's surface to pristine quiet.	Rupert Deese, Helices 1, 2003, drypoint, 31 x 12 inches
Deese first explored this linear image in "The Center of the Lake," an artist's book created in collaboration with Todd Young in 2000. Both the limited edition book and the series of etchings, in editions of 25, were published by Manneken Press.	Rupert Deese, Helices 2, 2003, drypoint, 31 x 12 inches
The consistent quiet, yet rhythmic line throughout Pale grows from the artist's on-going exploration of waves. His 2001 series of pale blue tondo paintings of oil on plywood had wave-like forms of varying pitch and intensity. At the time of that exhibition Deese wrote:	Rupert Deese, Helices 3, 2003, drypoint, 31 x 12 inches
"Waveforms result from both expanding and contracting circumstances. Waves on a surface typically move away from a central disturbance like a raindrop or a swimmer. However, water rushing downhill or fluid spiraling towards a central low pressure will travel in waves."	Rupert Deese, Helices 4, 2003, drypoint, 31 x 12 inches
Throughout Deese's work nature provides the inspiration for and the premise of his creation, be it ripple of waves in quiet waters, or geological undulations in the Sierra Mountains. Deese commented on the similarity of mountains and waves as follows:	Rupert Deese, Helices 5, 2003, drypoint, 31 x 12 inches
"the shape of a mountain valley corresponds to the shape of a water wave trough; the landscape flows at a much slower speed but seems to obey similar rules of pitch and frequency."	Rupert Deese, Helices 6, 2003, drypoint, 31 x 12 inches
It is the pitch, frequency and harmony of colors that yield a radiant vibration in Pale.	Rupert Deese, Helices 7, 2003, drypoint, 31 x 12 inches
Rupert Deese was born in Upland, California in 1952. He received his M.F.A. and B.A. degrees from the University of California at Santa Barbara. He was artist-in-residence at the Chinati Foundation, Marfa, Texas in 1994. His work has been shown at the Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, Connecticut; The Arkansas Arts Center, Little Rock; The Chinati Foundation; Crocker Art Gallery, California; Kohler Arts Center, Wisconsin; Nevada Museum of Art, Reno; New York State Museum, Albany; University Art Museum, State University of New York, Binghamton. His work is in the collections of The Metropolitan Museum of Art; Dow Jones and Prudential, both of New Jersey.
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