“We are so logic-driven we cannot stand the absence of it.” – Frans de Waal
April 2nd through 28th, Brooke Lanier Fine Art presents Try to Understand, a group exhibition examining the ways that the human mind deals with apparent chaos or disorganization. We look for patterns and relationships in disorder, and if we cannot find them, we devise artificial means of categorization and structure.
The show features work by David Aipperspach, Paula Cahill, Laura Krasnow, Brooke Lanier, Yanlin Li, Sarah Pater, and Tamsen Wojtanowski.
This collection of contemplative paintings and photographs brings together imagery of the natural world and manmade interventions through architecture and scientific analysis. David Aippersbach and Brooke Lanier paint meticulously detailed renderings of patterns in grasses and foliage, while Paula Cahill traces the movements of fish and the contours of botanic forms. Laura Krasnow’s photographs superimpose graphs and scientific imagery over these naturally-occurring patterns.
Other work in the show takes a different tack, referencing architectural interventions designed to control our environment. Sarah Pater’s paintings were inspired by the interior architecture of office buildings, crafted to subtly scontrol the behavior and interaction of their inhabitants subtly. Tamsen Wojtanowski’s subtly-layered cyanotypes are meditations on the failures of buildings. These once-sturdy frames that neatly organized their interior spaces and served specific functions are now losing their utility and orderly structure.
The show is open to the public Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. and by appointment. A brunch opening will be held on April 2nd from 12 to 3 p.m. As the spring approaches and the clouds retreat, the gallery receives refreshing sunlight in the afternoon. Join us for coffee, muffins, and conversation with the artists.