Current Surroundings
David Schell
01/10/2022 – 3/11/2022
Dengerink Gallery, VDEN Building
“How we shape a context helps to determine how something is perceived. All contexts are subject to change, so it’s only natural that perceptions follow suit.
“Current Surroundings is a continuation of intimate, intimate, my 2021 show at Augen Gallery, Portland, OR. Intimate as an adjective suggests an experience that is taking place away from the rest of the world; as a verb, on the other hand, it looks outward.
“To intimate is to invite the rest of the world (or at least one other person) in on a little secret. It is social, even if it’s a bit coy. Why else would one hint or suggest unless they’re hoping for a reply from a willing participant that will take the time to look and respond? In this way an intimation is different from a lie or a half-truth. It’s not meant to be a deception; rather, the small amount of information given is meant to tantalize, to pique someone’s interest. It’s not a final word, but instead an invitation to keep a conversation going. — David Schell
from top left moving clockwise:
Informal Warmth, A Brand New Shape, Inside Outside (2), Interior Form (Night)
Oil, pumice and cold wax on panel, 2020-21
photographs by Mario Gallucci
David Schell (he/him) is an artist working in Portland, Oregon. He received an MFA from American University and a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Schell’s recent work is rooted in the idea that how we shape a context helps determine how something is perceived. He is the co-founder of The Semifinalist, an online platform for the second best in art, because the first place is for sell-outs.
www.davidscottschell.com
www.thesemi-finalist.com
detail of Periphery (2)
Oil, pumice and cold wax on panel, 2021