Phil Bower
New Paintings
October 1 - November 1, 2008
Opening reception with the artist:
Friday, October 3rd, 5:30 - 7:30 pm

Phil Bower's latest work continues to strip down the endless catalogue of human endeavor, as documented in obscure black and white newsreels from the 20th century. Avoiding any didactic narration, or historicizing, his choices of imagery create a dialog about the activity of being alive.

Seemingly random scenes of "something happening", culled from an infinite source of documented pursuits and dramas, suggest a melancholy notion that life is just one distraction after another, with ghostly and anonymous traces left scattered amongst billions and billions of photographic negatives. Yet the act of commemorating these mis en scenes, as contemporary paintings, lavishes a startling beauty and optimism upon the image, and the specific choices in subject matter hint at the artist's own life. Highly realized painterly techniques reinforce the signifiers inherent in traditional oil painting, while oddly contemporary choices in composition and an innovative use of metallic color subvert this nostalgia.

Phil Bower has had numerous solo shows in Los Angeles, as well as with Spencer Brownstone NYC. His latest exhibition was at Carl Berg Gallery, Los Angeles. This is the artist's fourth show at Kidder Smith Gallery.