Kimo Nelson’s new paintings and drawings offer a vibrant and stimulating documentation of American Western travel. With perspective shifting from the bend of a river to the crest of a rock-strewn trail, this latest body of work archives two river expeditions -- a 19-day trip through the Grand Canyon, and 8 days in Canyonlands National Park. I begin my work as an explorer and a collector. I make archives of found objects, photos, and drawings that provide a point of departure for paintings produced through experimentation, process, and chance operations.[1] Regularly leaving New York City’s congested environment and returning to the wilderness areas where he used to live provides an important contrast to the artist. These excursions serve as reminders of this protected land’s significance, as well as its valuable place in the larger, elaborate ecosystem which we all inhabit.
I’m interested in themes of transition, evolution and flux described through processes of accumulation and erosion. My process involves multiple transfer layers over a textural surface. The layering of material is a way to think about both the literal, physical layering of matter in landscape, and the layering of information that mediates our perceptions of both urban and natural environments. There is a significant amount of chance involved with the transfer process. As a result a system of rules specifically for the layering stages naturally developed. These rules are fluid and evolve as new materials, or different approaches to working are introduced into the process. [2]
Born in 1980, Honolulu, HI, Nelson lives and works in Brooklyn, NY. He studied painting and drawing at the Oregon College of Art and Craft, and environmental studies at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, OR. Nelson went on to receive an MFA in painting with honors from the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, RI, in 2012, where he is also the recipient of two graduate fellowships.
A fully illustrated catalogue is available.
For further information please contact the gallery at 212-223-2227 or contact@danese.com
@DaneseCorey